GODLY Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

godly

adjective

ˈgäd-lē

Definition of godly

as in pious

showing a devotion to God and to a life of virtue a godly and humble man who will be richly rewarded in the next world

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in divine

of, relating to, or being God a godly voice from the heavens commanded him to build an ark

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 godly Dozens of boys say they were abused in a Christian scouting program that vowed to raise godly men. — Mike Hixenbaugh, NBC news, 22 May 2026 But this new condominium features more than a godly cityscape. — Michael Gross, Air Mail, 4 Apr. 2026 Baruch Spinoza argued for a singular godly substance of which everything in existence is an attribute. — Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2026 Trump’s version of Christianity instead preaches no mercy for those against him, demands followers exalt him above everything, celebrates the gaudy instead of the godly. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for godly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for godly

Adjective

Adenauer, De Gasperi, and Schuman were all devout Catholics, and Monnet, though not a religious man, was born into a pious Catholic family.

— Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Philemon and Baucis, a pious Phrygian couple, hospitably received the disguised Zeus and Hermes after their richer neighbors had refused to do so.

— Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 July 2026

Definition of pious

Adjective

However, the notion of the emperor’s divine origins strengthened during the Meiji era, when the concept of State Shinto arose.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
Yet, what fascinates is that Aristotle’s God isn’t a typical divine being who summons and shepherds.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of divine

Adjective

There is also persistent friction between Arab and Kurdish communities in the northeast of the country, and the government has had to respond to pockets of violence against the religious Alawite minority along Syria’s coast.

— Paula Hancocks, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
Luk grew up without religion, but many childhood friends were religious and invited her to churches and youth groups.

— Callum McLennan, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of religious

Adjective

But Schleien considers official pietism—the theocratic strictures, the holy geographies, and Iron Age notions of vengeance—a threat in its own right, and one that exacerbates various security crises.

— Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 11 Aug. 2026
As well as being home to Islam’s holiest sites, Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s top oil exporters.

— Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of holy

Adjective

Ghalib was a devout Muslim yet drank wine despite Islam’s prohibition on alcohol.

— Aishwarya Lakshmi, The Conversation, 18 Aug. 2026
Adenauer, De Gasperi, and Schuman were all devout Catholics, and Monnet, though not a religious man, was born into a pious Catholic family.

— Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of devout

Adjective

Hathaway topped off her heavenly look with an effortlessly wavy up-do and an ethereal blush-nude makeup look.

— Morgan Evans, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2026
To map out these heavenly realms takes a certain amount of ego and pollyannaism otherwise absent from Reilly’s worldview.

— Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 30 July 2026

Definition of heavenly

Adjective

The shrine provides spiritual comfort for some who mourn relatives and others who visit to express gratitude.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
Not long afterward, witnesses heard groans and heavy breathing as the spiritual adviser put her hands on his shoulders and prayed over him.

— CBS News, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of spiritual

Adjective

The sacred wind instrument — which is created from a eucalyptus tree trunk or branch naturally hollowed out by termites — was developed a thousand years ago by the Aboriginal community in northern Australia and is often used in cultural ceremonies.

— Andrea Flores, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Far-right extremists are even encouraging Jewish-Arab violence atop the Temple Mount, the most sacred site in Judaism and the third holiest in Islam, which could ignite anti-Israel religious violence and terrorism in the region.

— Trudy Rubin, Twin Cities, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of sacred

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“Godly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/godly. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of godly

adjective

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