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.
See Examples For:
He counsels letter writers on how to handle a cheating brother, discuss religion with a devout friend, and avoid spiraling over the fear of being single forever.
From Slate ● Aug. 5, 2026
A devout Christian and now with two young children, Scheffler has made it clear he would happily walk away from the game if it harmed his family life.
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
During recent masses, the most devout attended the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the baroque Metropolitan Cathedral wearing green national jerseys.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026
Father Quyen Truong followed by telling parishioners what a devout Catholic Sayre was.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
A devout Christian, he tried his best to follow God’s teachings all his life.
From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry
After which he procured them food and medicines, which he begged from the devouter sort, and himself attended them both day and night.
From The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 16 by Sir Walter Scott
Mrs. Orr, devouter votary than I, explains that Browning meant "that everything which disturbs the equal balance of human life gives a vital impulse to the soul."
From Browning's Heroines by Maxwell Armfield
Robinson Crusoe on his island could not have had a devouter thankfulness when he recovered the articles from the wreck than we had in the contemplation of our treasure.
From The Wayfarers by J. C. Snaith
He finds them the same men, although with better and devouter hearts, as we are at this day.
From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 01, No. 02, December, 1857 by Various
The stronger and devouter soul cannot conceive how the weaker had yielded.
From Expositions of Holy Scripture by Alexander Maclaren
Everywhere the devoutest Jews were conscious of wants which the national faith did not meet.
From The World's Great Sermons, Volume 10 Drummond to Jowett, and General Index by Grenville Kleiser
The whole of the service, devotional and musical, was most impressive, and the special prayers and thanksgivings were joined in by the vast congregation with devoutest feeling.
From Speeches and Addresses of H. R. H. the Prince of Wales: 1863-1888 by Edward VII
Philo does not feel his daringly allegorical sublimations as any departures from the devoutest Biblical faith.
From Progress and History by Francis Sydney Marvin
Here the distracting whirl of earthly things obscures Him from even the devoutest souls, and His own mighty works which reveal do also conceal.
From Expositions of Holy Scripture Psalms by Alexander Maclaren
It was at the house of one of his devoutest disciples, who has arranged everything in the rooms to harmonize with them.
From At Home And Abroad Or, Things And Thoughts In America and Europe by Arthur B. Fuller
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.
