piety

noun

ˈpī-ə-tē How to pronounce piety (audio)
Definition of pietynext
1
as in religion
belief and trust in and loyalty to God her piety is quiet but profound

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in holiness
the quality or state of being spiritually pure or virtuous among fellow clerics he is respected and admired for his piety

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in devotion
adherence to something to which one is bound by a pledge or duty familial piety keeps me from refusing to help my brother in this financial crisis

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word piety distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of piety are allegiance, devotion, fealty, fidelity, and loyalty. While all these words mean "faithfulness to something to which one is bound by pledge or duty," piety stresses fidelity to obligations regarded as natural and fundamental.

filial piety

When would allegiance be a good substitute for piety?

While the synonyms allegiance and piety are close in meaning, allegiance suggests an adherence like that of citizens to their country.

pledging allegiance

When is it sensible to use devotion instead of piety?

While in some cases nearly identical to piety, devotion stresses zeal and service amounting to self-dedication.

a painter's devotion to her art

When might fealty be a better fit than piety?

Although the words fealty and piety have much in common, fealty implies a fidelity acknowledged by the individual and as compelling as a sworn vow.

fealty to the truth

When can fidelity be used instead of piety?

The meanings of fidelity and piety largely overlap; however, fidelity implies strict and continuing faithfulness to an obligation, trust, or duty.

marital fidelity

When could loyalty be used to replace piety?

The synonyms loyalty and piety are sometimes interchangeable, but loyalty implies a faithfulness that is steadfast in the face of any temptation to renounce, desert, or betray.

valued the loyalty of his friends

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of piety One reason the collection merits revisiting is Macdonald’s voice, which is both witty and pugnacious, the voice of a gadfly who delighted in mocking conventional pieties and in challenging the status quo. —The New Yorker, 24 Dec. 2024 Well, the neighborhood’s long-standing liberal pieties are put to the test. —airmail.news, 14 Sep. 2024 So a Muslim in a hijab attacks a trans performer who identifies as a woman yet doesn’t kowtow to all the liberal pieties. —Armond White, National Review, 5 Feb. 2025 Then, Samantha Leach will tell us how the television show Real Housewives of Salt Lake City is leading more than a few members of the Mormon church to choose pomp over piety. —airmail.news, 17 Aug. 2024 See All Example Sentences for piety
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piety
  1. religion
  2. holiness
  3. devotion
  4. faith
  5. spirituality
  6. allegiance
  7. loyalty
  8. dedication
Noun
  • Bold, maximal artworks challenging religion and American intervention in Latin America.
    — Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • While Janice avoids even visiting Eric in prison, she is torn between cleaning out his room and grappling with the role of faith and religion.
    — Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of religion
Noun
  • So if a film can convey that or suggest that— CS: There’s nothing holier… There’s a holiness to Leigh’s films because of that.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 19 Mar. 2025
  • McKinney grew up attending an evangelical church in Texas where she was taught that her tendency to gossip would keep her from holiness.
    — Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of holiness
Noun
  • The first 20 years of my career were at Houston Methodist Hospital (HMH), and my devotion was to the practice of medicine, caring for the critically ill and provide lifesaving opportunity to those in need of cardiac transplantation.
    — John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
  • But Frank's loyalty to the fans bred a reciprocal devotion that could turn dark.
    — Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of devotion
Noun
  • Aunt Lydia maintains her faith in Gilead’s religious principles — but the horrific events that contradict them seem to hint at her beliefs possibly cracking, even this late in the game.
    — Abigail Lee, Variety, 8 Apr. 2025
  • In a trailer for Not Just a Goof, Kevin Lima, who directed A Goofy Movie, recalls what a leap of faith the project was from the start.
    — Jen Juneau, People.com, 8 Apr. 2025
Definition of faith
Noun
  • Mental well-being Newberg at FAU has studied spirituality and its link to brain health.
    — Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Piper, played by Sarah Catherine Hook, tricked her parents and brothers in traveling to Thailand for her college thesis, while actually planning to move there for a year after graduation, to expand upon her spirituality and study Buddhism from local monks.
    — Jeff Conway, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of spirituality
Noun
  • The Spaniard made the move after winning the 2023 Masters, which changed his thinking about switching allegiances.
    — Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Across the nation more and more Hispanic—and to some extent Black voters—are switching allegiance the Republicans.
    — Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of allegiance
Noun
  • Republicans tried to recast the contest as a chance for Trump’s base to come out and show their loyalty to him and push back against judges Trump claims treat him and his administration unfairly.
    — Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 2 Apr. 2025
  • After all, Trump has proven in the past that his loyalty is conditional.
    — Philip Elliott, Time, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of loyalty
Noun
  • His two sensational strikes against Madrid were a culmination of his dedication on the training ground.
    — Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
  • That demands real action, dedication, and daily commitment.
    — Hilary Tetenbaum, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of dedication

Browse Nearby Words

pietists
piety
piffle
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Cite this Entry

“Piety.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piety. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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