as in pious
showing a devotion to God and to a life of virtue
a saintly man who devoted his life to caring for the dying
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Recent Examples of saintly
Plus, their father was the deacon of the local Catholic congregation – all the more reason to maintain a saintly lifestyle.
—
Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 14 Oct. 2025
And Sylvia’s saintly husband Charlie (Luke Macfarlane) again grows frustrated that his wife keeps prioritizing her college buddy over him.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2025
Martin Scorsese will be back to tell more saintly tales.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 11 June 2025
Luckily for them, Jonathan decided to take the longest water break in the history of The Amazing Race, much to the detriment of his very patient and saintly wife.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for saintly
Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 14 Oct. 2025
And Sylvia’s saintly husband Charlie (Luke Macfarlane) again grows frustrated that his wife keeps prioritizing her college buddy over him.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2025
Martin Scorsese will be back to tell more saintly tales.
—Erik Pedersen, Deadline, 11 June 2025
Luckily for them, Jonathan decided to take the longest water break in the history of The Amazing Race, much to the detriment of his very patient and saintly wife.
—Nick Caruso, TVLine, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for saintly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for saintly
Adjective
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As Mildred Layton, the pious pastor’s wife first played on screen by Kristin Chenoweth, Ana Gasteyer is in her element.—
Dave Quinn,
PEOPLE,
21 Apr. 2026
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The Colombian grandmother of my childhood summers was funny, mean, pious, and hard—despite being tremendously sensitive in her own way.—
Adriana E. Ramírez,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, a devout socialist and one of the most vocal opponents of the Pentagon’s Operation Epic Fury in Iran, brushed off the threat of being removed from the alliance.—
Mike Brest,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Apr. 2026
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The Pharisees were the most devout members of ancient Israeli society, and their real agenda was not to trouble Jesus, but to protest against and challenge Rome.—
Letters to the Editor,
Washington Post,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Today, Lowery is an atheist, having left the Catholic Church a long time ago, but his religious upbringing still has a hold on him.—
Chris O'Falt,
IndieWire,
29 Apr. 2026
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Skewering everything from leftist factional infighting to religious zealotry, the movie follows Brian (Graham Chapman), born in the same stable as Jesus and initially mistaken for him.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Reviews rank it only behind the sainted Hatsuyuki Handroll Bar; 711 W. Magnolia Ave., 682-326-1994, instagram.com/yoichi_omakase_handroll.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Mar. 2026
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The movement had adherents among the student body and on the faculty at the Catholic University in Chiclayo, which has about ten thousand students, and the cathedral boasted an enormous portrait of Josemaria Escrivá, Opus Dei’s sainted founder.—
Paul Elie,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The video was filmed near King David’s Tomb on the holy site of Mount Zion in Jerusalem, the city which has been home to three faiths — Christianity, Judaism and Islam — for centuries.—
Yuliya Talmazan,
NBC news,
1 May 2026
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Worshipers mark the day by visiting holy sites and temples, the giving of alms and practicing mindfulness and spiritual purity, as noted by the University of Colombo in Sri Lanka.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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In the sumptuousness of the bibliophile’s parlor, studying Black history occasioned reverent, joyous gatherings.—
Laura E. Helton,
Literary Hub,
20 Apr. 2026
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Newman often seems to be reciting his lyrics, even incanting them, reverent and repetitive.—
Elizabeth Nelson,
Pitchfork,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Saintly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/saintly. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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