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religious

religious

∞ 2.7
Believing in gods or spiritual ideas
  • adjective
  • /rɪˈlɪdʒəs/
: religioso
  • Her religious practices include attending church every Sunday.
  • religious beliefs
  • religious leaders
  • religious nationalists

Like everything, maybe some religious ideas will persist.

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Examples

  • These are all the places where people, whether they're religious or not, find meaning.

  • For Native Americans, it was seen as a religious act not to be performed lightly.

    Academic text (2011)
  • Is this why people who are religious get better faster?

  • Question: How often do you watch or listen to religious programs on TV or radio?

    Academic text (2011)
  • The problem cuts across social, religious, and cultural lines.

  • That is the new dynamic in religious life here at Harvard.

  • Republicans tend to be more religious than the left.

  • Religious influence on a crime is reflected in religious symbols and messages at the crime scene.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Almost two decades after the war, religious leaders reiterate the need for reconciliation and peace.

    Academic text (2015)
  • People such as Swidler, who have devoted their lives to religious dialogue, do make a difference.

    Academic text (2015)

Synonyms

spiritual
vsreligious
592 4.8

Relating to the soul and to religion

is focused on organized belief and institutions rather than only inner non material matters
devout
vsreligious
53 5.7

Very religious and serious about their faith

is broader applying to general belief or relation to faith rather than deep commitment
pious
vsreligious
33 6.3

Having deep belief in and respect for religion

is more general covering belief or relation to faith without strong devotion
religioso
vsreligious
1 8.7

Showing strong belief in religion

is broader covering general belief or relation to faith rather than deep devotion

Antonyms

165 4.7

Not connected with religion, about everyday and public life

3 8.6

Not interested in religion or being against it

Compounds

A strong faith that a god or gods affect life and choices

A person who strongly believes in a faith and follows its ways

A person who guides a group's religious beliefs and practices

religious right
  • Literature
36 6.1

A political group in the United States that wants laws to follow conservative religious beliefs

A school run by a church, mosque, or temple that teaches faith and regular subjects

A formal event where people meet to show shared beliefs with prayers and rituals

A small group that follows one leader or teaching and has strict, unusual beliefs and practices

A group of people who live together, follow special rules, and focus on prayer or service

A public event where people pray, sing, and listen in a church or temple

A group of people who try to change beliefs and practices about faith

A small group inside a religion with different beliefs or practices

A book or writing that people treat as holy in a religion

A day when people of a faith have ceremonies and celebrate

A set of beliefs that a faith group officially teaches

A ceremony with set actions from a religion like prayers and singing

Showing very strong belief and feeling like worship

A formal ceremony that people follow as part of a religion

A public event where people celebrate their faith

Songs or pieces people sing in places of worship to show faith

A person's beliefs and feelings about faith and how they show it

A song sung as part of religious worship or ceremonies

A Christian group also called Quakers who value peace and simple living

A person who tries to feel a direct connection with God or a higher power

A spiritual practice that seeks a direct personal experience of God or the sacred

religious trance
  • Specialized
1 8.2

A deep state of mind with strong feeling and focused attention during prayer

A text seen as holy and used for worship or teaching in a religion

A person who is excluded from their faith group for having different beliefs

A place where people live apart to focus on religion, like a monastery or convent

religious offering
  • Specialized
6.7

To bring bread and wine to the altar during a Christian service

How Religious

fanatical
23 6.8
pious
33 6.3
religious
∞ 2.7
observant
7 4.8

Surface Forms

religious positive

Morphology

religious = religion (transparent) = relig + ious

The word 'religious' is transparently derived from 'religion' with the suffix '-ious' indicating 'having the qualities of'.

Etymology

Religious comes from the Latin root religio, which many people connect to religare meaning 'to bind'. So to be religious is like being 'bound' to certain beliefs and ceremonies, which explains its meaning about faith and worship.