devout
Americanadjective
-
devoted to divine worship or service; pious; religious.
a devout Catholic.
- Antonyms:
- irreverent
-
expressing devotion or piety.
devout prayer.
-
earnest or sincere; hearty.
He had a devout allegiance to the political regime.
adjective
-
deeply religious; reverent
-
sincere; earnest; heartfelt
a devout confession
Synonym Usage
See religious.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of devout
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French devo(u)t, from Late Latin dēvotus, Latin: “devoted”; see devote
Explanation
To be devout is to be deeply devoted to one's religion or to another belief, cause, or way of life. If you're reading this, you're probably a devout believer in improving your vocabulary. Devout is often used to describe religious individuals, but this word also pops up in the context of sports fans — a fact that may shed some light on the role of sports in today's society. However, while it's usually acceptable for a devout individual to miss work for religious holidays, devout sports fans have a tougher time convincing their boss to let them off for the big game.
Vocabulary lists containing devout
I Am Malala
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The Things They Carried
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The Alchemist
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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.
Leo Kelly—a devout Christian Iowan who was seen ascending the Senate dais, leafing through sensitive documents, and praying in the chamber—described it as “a blessing.”
From Slate • May 28, 2026
Elma, a devout Christian who is now in her 80s, had been Eric Adusah's "Scottish mum" after they met in Edinburgh in 2012.
From BBC • May 22, 2026
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a devout Catholic, will meet with the Pope on Thursday.
From Barron's • May 6, 2026
In my late teens I carried “Monument Eternal” around with me in the same way my devout Christian friends would carry their pocket-size Bibles.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026
Papi thought Bri was too devout, but Mami said it’s just a stage fourteen-year-old girls go through.
From "The Dead and the Gone" by Susan Beth Pfeffer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
