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god-fearing

3 antonyms and opposites of god-fearing, grouped by meaning.

Adjective — Deeply religious in a way that shows in how you live, marked by reverence for God and by moral, respectable conduct.

Antonyms

How to use god-fearing

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

god-fearing man god-fearing family decent, god-fearing people

Almost always approving, and often used to signal traditional respectability as much as belief. Capitalisation of God varies; God-fearing is the more traditional styling.

Etymology

A compound of God and fearing, using fear in its older sense of awe and reverence rather than fright.

Full origin of god-fearing →

Frequently asked questions

Does god-fearing mean being afraid of God?

No. Fear here carries its older sense of awe and deep respect, the same sense as in 'the fear of the Lord'. A god-fearing person reveres God rather than being frightened of him.

What is the difference between god-fearing and religious?

Religious simply says a person holds and practises a faith. God-fearing adds a moral judgement, suggesting the person is honest, decent and traditional in conduct because of that faith, and it is nearly always meant as praise.

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Synonyms and antonyms from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.