Share this entry


Synonyms of religious in English:


  • 1 he was a very religious person
    devout, pious, reverent, believing, godly, God-fearing, dutiful, saintly, holy, prayerful, churchgoing, practising, faithful, devoted, committed
    [Antonyms] atheistic, irreverent
  • 2 it was against her religious beliefs religious music
    [Antonyms] secular, civil
  • 3 pay religious attention to detail
    scrupulous, conscientious, meticulous, sedulous, punctilious, zealous, strict, rigid, rigorous, exact, close, unfailing, unswerving, undeviating;
    fussy, pedantic, fastidious, nitpicking, finicky, finical
    [Antonyms] slapdash
  • Word links

    divinity, theology study of religion

    Choose the right word

    religious, devout, pious
    Religious basically means ‘relating to a religion’ ( the patriotic and religious duty of any Jew) or ‘believing in a religion’ ( the word is regarded by many religious people with considerable disapproval), and both senses are neither critical nor approving. Only in the second sense can religious be used after the verb to be, or be qualified by an adverb, to express the degree of someone's commitment ( he wasn't a churchgoer, but very religious). Sometimes it is used in an extended sense to suggest that someone attaches particular importance to a secular object or pursuit; there may be a critical suggestion that such devotion is misplaced ( he always had a religious obsession with fame).Devout is used to indicate a deep and genuine religious commitment ( he was a devout Quaker and would not allow a pub in the village), and is an approving word. It is also used to convey total or uncritical enthusiasm for or commitment to a secular object ( a devout soccer fan).Pious, too, can convey religious commitment ( donations to the Church from pious laymen) but is now mainly used pejoratively to denote hypocritical religiosity ( I know what's under that pious face of yours).
    Share this entry

    What do you find interesting about this word or phrase?
