religious

[ ri-lij-uhs ]

/ rɪˈlɪdʒ əs /

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See synonyms for religious on Thesaurus.com

adjective

of, relating to, or concerned with religion: a religious holiday.

imbued with or exhibiting religion; pious; devout; godly: a religious man.

scrupulously faithful; conscientious: religious care.

pertaining to or connected with a monastic or religious order.

appropriate to religion or to sacred rites or observances.

noun, plural re·li·gious.

a member of a religious order, congregation, etc.; a monk, friar, or nun.

the religious, devout or religious persons: Each year, thousands of the religious make pilgrimages to the shrine.

OTHER WORDS FOR religious

2 reverent.

3 scrupulous, strict, meticulous, rigorous, unswerving, undeviating.

See synonyms for religious on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR religious

2 impious.

See antonyms for religious on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of religious

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English (from Old French ), from Latin religiōsus, equivalent to religi(ō) religion + -ōsus -ous

synonym study for religious

2. Religious, devout, pious indicate a spirit of reverence toward God. Religious is a general word, applying to whatever pertains to faith or worship: a religious ceremony. Devout indicates a fervent spirit, usually genuine and often independent of outward observances: a deeply devout though unorthodox church member. Pious implies constant attention to, and extreme conformity with, outward observances. It can also suggest sham or hypocrisy: a pious hypocrite.

OTHER WORDS FROM religious

re·li·gious·ly, adverbre·li·gious·ness, nounan·ti·re·li·gious, adjectivenon·re·li·gious, adjective

non·re·li·gious·ness, nouno·ver·re·li·gious, adjectivepre·re·li·gious, adjectivepseu·do·re·li·gious, adjectivequa·si-re·li·gious, adjectiveul·tra·re·li·gious, adjectiveul·tra·re·li·gious·ness, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH religious

religious , sacrilegious, sacrosanct

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use religious in a sentence

In 2009, a Pakistani Christian woman got into a religious argument with some Muslim women with whom she was harvesting berries.
In Defense of Blasphemy|Michael Tomasky|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The gentleman was listed as Orthodox and kosher, which is way too religious for my friend whose JSwipe account I was test-driving.
My Week on Jewish Tinder|Emily Shire|January 5, 2015|DAILY BEAST
It is the kind of compassion espoused by every world religion and every revered religious leader.
In 2015, Let’s Try for More Compassion|Gene Robinson|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
But the last national figure to wield ancient personal authority in an explicitly religious way was Robert F. Kennedy.
No Gods, No Cops, No Masters|James Poulos|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST

In my search for answers about who I was, I pored over religious texts in search of enlightenment.
Dear Leelah, We Will Fight On For You: A Letter to a Dead Trans Teen|Parker Molloy|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The Vulgate translates: “Et obviabit illi quasi mater honorificata, et quasi mulier a virginitate suscipiet illum.”
Solomon and Solomonic Literature|Moncure Daniel Conway
On the thirteenth of the same month they bound to the stake, in order to burn alive, a man who had two religious in his house.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
We shall recover again some or all of the steadfastness and dignity of the old religious life.
The Salvaging Of Civilisation|H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
But you will find most colleges and most college societies bar religious instruction and discussion.
The Salvaging Of Civilisation|H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
Hence arise factions, dissensions, and loss to their religious interests and work; and these intruders seek to rule the others.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various

British Dictionary definitions for religious

religious

/ (rɪˈlɪdʒəs) /

adjective

of, relating to, or concerned with religion

pious; devout; godly
(as collective noun; preceded by the)the religious

appropriate to or in accordance with the principles of a religion

scrupulous, exact, or conscientious

Christianity of or relating to a way of life dedicated to religion by the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and defined by a monastic rule

noun

Christianity a member of an order or congregation living by such a rule; a monk, friar, or nun

Derived forms of religious

religiously, adverbreligiousness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

religious

OTHER WORDS FOR religious

OPPOSITES FOR religious

Origin of religious

synonym study for religious

OTHER WORDS FROM religious

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH religious

Words related to religious

How to use religious in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for religious

Derived forms of religious