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Glite Dictionary
impious

impious

3 9.6
Not showing respect for God or sacred things
  • adjective
  • /ˈɪm.pi.əs/
  • Formal
translation icon : impío
  • His impious comments during the sermon shocked the congregation.

He says what an impious remark that was.

Examples

  • Many consider her jokes about religious figures to be impious and disrespectful.

  • The impious actions of the ruler led to a backlash from the faithful community.

  • I want no praise from impious men.

    Marriage Story (2019)

  • Thoroughly impious, the young men nonetheless recognized that Sunday morning at church was still the place to be.

    Academic text (2007)

  • "Maybe," said Oedipus, "it means that it would be impious not to allow the prophecy to be fulfilled."

    Fiction book (1995)

  • You are aware that the impious and infidel enemy has disturbed the peace unjustly.

    Blog text (6)

  • Not merely apathetic or impious, Thomas tended toward disbelief.

    Academic text (2018)

  • The Vatican's unwillingness to support us is both impious and cowardly.

    The Da Vinci Code (2006)

  • "You're an impious fellow, aren't you?" he grinned.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • These stories seem to give voice to the hope or the fantasy that a cruel and impious monarch might be taught humility by Yahweh.

Synonyms

ungodly
vsimpious
21 7.2

Morally wrong because it goes against religious rules

is about lacking respect for sacred things rather than moral wickedness
blasphemous
vsimpious
  • Offensive
20 8.4

Showing disrespect for things people consider holy

is more about a general attitude of disrespect than specific words or acts
sacrilegious
vsimpious
12 9.0

Showing great disrespect to things people consider sacred

is a milder lack of respect or reverence rather than strong insult
unholy
vsimpious
8 6.1

Not sacred and not fit for worship

is about showing lack of respect or reverence instead of simply lacking holiness
profanatory
vsimpious
9.9

Showing disrespect for things people think are holy

is about lacking respect without necessarily damaging or desecrating

Antonyms

devout
55 5.7

Very religious and serious about their faith

pious
37 6.3

Having deep belief in and respect for religion

How Irreverent

sacrilegious
12 9.0
blasphemous
  • Offensive
20 8.4
impious
  • Formal
3 9.6
irreverent
19 7.2
disrespectful
121 3.0

Surface Forms

impious positive

Morphology

impious = pious (transparent) = im + pious

Meaning is a straightforward negative derivation: 'im-' (not) + 'pious' (devout), so learners knowing 'pious' and common negative prefix variants can infer the meaning.

Etymology

Impious comes from the parts im- meaning 'not' and pious, from Latin pius meaning 'dutiful' or 'devout'. So, impious describes someone or something that is 'not respectful toward God, religion, or things people consider sacred'.