Meaning & use
pious
Last updated
UK/ˈpaɪəs/
US/ˈpaɪəs/
Meanings
adjectivecomparableapproving
Deeply religious and devoted to prayer and worship.
Grammar: Before a noun or after a verb.
The pious family prayed every morning.
She led a quiet, pious life.
He was a pious man.
adjectivecomparabledisapproving
Pretending to be morally superior in a way that annoys others.
Grammar: Disapproving.
He gave a pious speech about honesty.
I'm tired of her pious lectures.
Word forms
| comparative | more pious |
|---|---|
| superlative | most pious |
Common combinations
- pious man
- A pious man.
- pious hope
- A pious hope.
- pious platitudes
- Pious platitudes.
- deeply pious
- Deeply pious.
Synonyms and how they differ
- devout
- Always positive.
- religious
- Neutral.
- sanctimonious
- Always negative.
- holy
- Stresses sacredness.
Opposites
Word family
- piety noun
- religious devotion
- piously adverb
- in a pious way
Commonly confused: pious or pius?
pious vs pius
Not an English word.
Practice
A pious lecture on honesty from someone who lies is probably:
Choose one answer.
Pious can mean falsely virtuous.
Make it your own
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