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.

Guys this brazen are not suddenly going to get religion.

From New York Times • Dec. 29, 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

It is enough to make a man get religion �and that is what old Tim Denney does.

From Time Magazine Archive

I'm afraid I never shall get religion, for all that's offered me seems so poor, so narrow, or so hard that I cannot take it for my stay.

From Work: a Story of Experience by Alcott, Louisa May

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