Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for saintly. Search instead for unsaintly.
Synonyms

saintly

American  
[seynt-lee] / ˈseɪnt li /

adjective

saintlier, saintliest

  1. pertaining to, like, or befitting a saint.

    saintly lives.
saintly British  
/ ˈseɪntlɪ /

adjective

  1. like, relating to, or suitable for a saint

"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

Other Word Forms

  • hypersaintly adjective
  • quasi-saintly adjective
  • saintlily adverb
  • saintliness noun
  • supersaintly adjective
  • unsaintly adjective

Etymology

Origin of saintly

First recorded in 1650–60; saint + -ly

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.

With saintly calm, the too-good-for-him Dr. Barrett packs her things and returns to her peaceful castle.

From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026

The Independent notes that he was seen as a "saintly" and "ecclesiastical" figure on Fleet Street.

From BBC • Dec. 1, 2025

When the rapping resumes, the man goes to the window to admit “a stately Raven / of the saintly days of yore.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 9, 2025

This disciplined capital allocation — returning all free cash flow to shareholders via dividends and buybacks — makes it practically saintly.

From MarketWatch • Oct. 9, 2025

Tom Chamberlain went on sleeping, mouth open, saintly young, at peace.

From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara

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.