1
as in deception
the pretending of having virtues, principles, or beliefs that one in fact does not have
an outward piousness that was just a ploy to get him the support of religious-minded voters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in holiness
the quality or state of being spiritually pure or virtuous
the piousness with which he lived every aspect of his life was an inspiration to the other monks at the abbey
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for piousness
Noun
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As an escaped convict posing as a beloved preacher, and as his gentle, upright twin, Robeson embodies a devastating split between appearance and truth, and whose uncanny doubling plays out in a community shaped by racial violence, spiritual deception, and economic precarity.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
21 May 2025 -
Ellie, however, cannot abide Joel’s deception, and interrupts to tell the truth to Gail, who then slaps Joel and tells him to leave.—
Adam B. Vary,
Variety,
19 May 2025
Noun
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G‑d’s purpose in creating the world was that all of creation be sanctified, imbuing it with holiness and spirituality.—
Rabbi Moishe Kievman,
Sun Sentinel,
20 May 2025
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Pope Leo’s election has instantly made the rituals of the Vatican feel a touch more familiar to Americans—and perhaps made the idea of holiness feel a touch more attainable.—
Christopher Hale,
Time,
9 May 2025
Noun
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But a groundswell of protest art was answering the call with a new kind of ardent feeling that damned the false piety and hypocrisy of homophobic Christian doctrine.—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2025
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This becomes fuel for a spiraling breakdown, for Taylor and for all the other women, full of DMs and text-thread images shown on-camera as evidence of various hypocrisies.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
19 May 2025
Noun
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For now, he’s decided attending university is the best path, but opted to spend his first year of school in Rome to deepen his spirituality.—
Angie Leventis Lourgos,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2025
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In a glowing review, McNulty applauds the mechanics, performances and set design of the play, which plumbs the depths of spirituality through magical realism brought to bear onstage.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
16 May 2025
Noun
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None of these spring explorations of sisterly deceit and self-deception has been able to surpass Apple TV+’s Bad Sisters as the recent genre peak.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
28 May 2025
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Starring Tom Cruise, the movies are loaded with action, deceit and globe-spanning adventures – everything a good spy film should be.—
Keith Langston,
People.com,
24 May 2025
Noun
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No fussy affectations, just a deliberate tamping down of his more charismatic qualities.—
A.A. Dowd,
Rolling Stone,
25 Apr. 2025
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Ivy-as-Marilyn is an inconsiderate, amphetamine guzzling faux-intellectual whose devotion to the acting craft is presented as a vainglorious affectation.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
10 Apr. 2025
Noun
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After his arrest, Duffy had faked amnesia and sought asylum in a psychiatric hospital, where doctors prevented the police from interrogating him, but the pretense of the amnesia was exposed at the trial by his ex-wife and a friend.—
Sarah Beckwith,
New Yorker,
26 May 2025
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May 8 Theft by false pretense: Someone contacted a Saratoga resident, claiming to be a member of the Federal Trade Commission.—
Anne Gelhaus,
Mercury News,
23 May 2025
Noun
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Nothing will knock the pretension out of you faster than having to go cover the sewage board hearing and having to type the school lunch menus.—
Samantha Dunn,
Oc Register,
11 Apr. 2025
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Boasting fresh sea air, healing waters and inspiring natural light, this area of the country offers a unique opportunity to experience luxury the Danish way: without pretension, surrounded by nature and the highest quality art, food and design.—
Lois Alter Mark,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Piousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/piousness. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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