# pious

/ˈpaɪəs/ (US) · /pˈaɪəs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/pious
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. devout and religious

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

deeply religious and showing great respect for a god or religion.

For teachers: exhibiting deep religious devotion and reverence for a deity or faith.

- The pious monk spent most of his day in quiet prayer and study.
- The community respected him as a pious man who dedicated his life to charitable works and religious observance.

### 2. sanctimonious or self-righteous

adjective · CEFR C2 · Formal

acting as if you are more moral or better than other people.

For teachers: making a hypocritical show of religious or moral superiority; sanctimonious.

- I am tired of his pious lectures about how I should live my life.
- Her pious attitude toward the mistakes of others made it difficult for her colleagues to work with her effectively.

Usage: Often used with a negative or critical tone to describe someone's behavior.

Teaching tip: In modern secular contexts, this sense is more common than the literal religious one and is almost always an insult.

## Examples

- The pious man spends every morning in quiet prayer.
- She was known for her pious lifestyle, dedicating most of her weekends to charity work and church services.
- The biography portrays him not as a cynical politician, but as a truly pious individual whose policy decisions were deeply rooted in his spiritual convictions.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.