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irreligiousness

irreligiousness

9.3
The state of not believing in God or following a religion
  • noun
  • /ˌɪrɪˈlɪdʒənəs/
translation icon : irreligiosidad
  • The liberal Mossadeq movement of the 1950s was brought down by its own irrational flailing, but also by the mullahs, who feared Mossadeq's irreligiousness and joined with the British and Americans in Operation Ajax, the coup that restored full powers to the last shah.

Examples

  • I think the recent trend towards irreligiousness in the U.S. has been a counter-reaction to the prominence of the religious right in U.S. political discourse.

    Blog text (31)
  • Many young people today embrace a lifestyle of irreligiousness, finding fulfillment outside traditional religious practices.

  • The rise of irreligiousness among the population reflects a shift in societal values towards secularism.

  • In discussions about belief systems, irreligiousness is often seen as a natural response to widespread skepticism about organized religion.

Synonyms

atheism
vsirreligiousness
198 5.8

To not believe that God or gods exist

is broader and includes lacking devotion or practices, not only a stance on gods
unbelief
vsirreligiousness
6 7.5

Not accepting religious ideas about gods

covers missing devotion or piety as well as disbelief
godlessness
vsirreligiousness
2 8.3

A lack of belief in God or religion

is more general, covering lack of devotion beyond belief in God
secularity
vsirreligiousness
1 7.2

A state of being not connected to religion

focuses more on personal lack of belief and devotion
irreligion
vsirreligiousness
1 9.5

Not following or believing in any religion

is a general state that can be passive rather than a deliberate choice
nonbelief
vsirreligiousness
1 6.7

A lack of belief in God or other religious ideas

adds lack of devotion and piety beyond mere absence of belief
irreligiosity
vsirreligiousness
9.5

A lack of religious belief or practice

is the broader term for lacking belief or devotion
unfaith
vsirreligiousness
  • Archaic
9.9

Lack of belief in religious or moral ideas

is wider, including missing practices and general devotion as well
nonreligion
vsirreligiousness
6.8

Not having religious beliefs or belonging to any religion

includes personal lack of devotion and private disbelief as well

Antonyms

23 7.7

A strong religious feeling and respect that leads to regular prayer and kind actions

22 4.6

Deep religious faith and commitment to God

How Religious

piety
23 7.7
religiosity
  • Formal
10 8.1
irreligiousness
9.3

Surface Forms

Morphology

irreligiousness = irreligious (transparent) = ir + religious + ness

Formed by adding the noun-forming suffix '-ness' to the adjective 'irreligious', so the derivation 'not religious' → 'state of not being religious' is straightforward.

Etymology

Irreligiousness breaks into three parts: ir- meaning 'not', religious meaning 'connected to religion', and -ness meaning the 'state' of something. The ir- is the same 'not' you see in irregular, so that part is easy to spot. So, irreligiousness is the 'state' of being 'not religious', or not having religious belief.