religious

modif.

1. Pertaining to religion

   sacred, spiritual, holy, divine, theological, ethical, moral, ecclesiastical, clerical, canonical, supernatural, sacrosanct, churchly, liturgical, theistic, deistic, monotheistic, polytheistic, pantheistic, sacerdotal, priestly, pontifical, ministerial.

   Antonyms secular, worldly*, earthly. *

2. Adhering to a religion

   devout, pious, godly, sanctimonious, pietistic, God-fearing, orthodox, puritanical, reverent, reverential, believing, faithful, spiritual-minded, observant, practicing, church-going, evangelistic, born-again, revivalistic, fanatic, unworldly; see also Christian, holy 2.

   Antonyms atheistic*, agnostic*, nonbelieving.

3. Scrupulous

   methodical, minute, thorough; see careful.

religious stresses faith in a particular religion and constant adherence to its tenets to lead a religious life; devout implies sincere, worshipful devotion to one's faith or religion; pious suggests scrupulous adherence to the forms of one's religion but may, in derogatory usage, connote hypocrisy the pious burghers who defraud their tenants; sanctimonious in current usage implies a hypocritical pretense of piety or devoutness and often connotes smugness or haughtiness his sanctimonious disapproval of dancing