saintly

adjective

saint·​ly ˈsānt-lē How to pronounce saintly (audio)
saintlier; saintliest
Synonyms of saintlynext
: relating to, resembling, or befitting a saint : holy
saintliness noun

Examples of saintly in a Sentence

a saintly man who devoted his life to caring for the dying
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
That’s not to say Rastignac is portrayed as a saintly figure. Big Think, 29 Apr. 2026 Nigel once again steps in as a saintly father figure with access to a to-die-for sample closet. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 Apr. 2026 The power struggle swirls around the saintly, ineffectual King Henry until gradually the dynamic York, who has pretended to support Margaret while secretly hatching his own plot, emerges as the chief contender for the throne. Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026 Where ancient midwives had summoned divine assistance by uttering incantations, medieval maternity caregivers called upon saintly mothers by reciting rhythmical charms. Literary Hub, 18 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for saintly

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of saintly was in 1534

Cite this Entry

“Saintly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/saintly. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

saintly

adjective
saint·​ly ˈsānt-lē How to pronounce saintly (audio)
saintlier; saintliest
: relating to, resembling, or proper for a saint : holy
saintliness noun

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