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get religion

Idioms

Be converted; also, decide to behave in an upright, ethical way. For example, After the children were born, John got religion and joined the church, or After years of total selfishness, she suddenly got religion and is doing all kinds of volunteer work. [Second half of 1700s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Sometimes before they die or stop running for office they get "religion" and try to do some good with new found perspective.

From New York Times • Dec. 12, 2017

Several pundits made hay yesterday attacking Smith personally, arguing that he waited till he made his millions to get religion, or that he only quit because he was consistently passed up for promotions.

From Time • Mar. 16, 2012

There were no demigods for the closing hours, to make audiences get religion: no Wayne Shorter or Keith Jarrett, no famous singer to rally around.

From New York Times • Aug. 8, 2011

"HellCat" Gantry, the black-maned campus bully with his boasted amours and loud contempt, get religion?

From Time Magazine Archive

Cited Beecher's saying, which I have so long remembered, that we cannot get religion as we order a suit of clothes.

From Julia Ward Howe 1819-1910 by Elliott, Maud Howe

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023