devout

/dɪˈvaʊt/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈvaʊt/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈvau̇t/ (ame, mw)

devout — adjective

  • devoutpositive
  • more devoutcomparative
  • most devoutsuperlative

1. Holding a faith so strongly that prayer, worship, and moral duty shape the way a

1.形容詞C1
釋義

Holding a faith so strongly that prayer, worship, and moral duty shape the way a person lives.

例句

Feng's grandmother is a devout Buddhist who recites sutras before dawn.

devout + religion noun

Karim's parents are devout Muslims who visit the mosque before work each Friday.

同義詞
  • religious

    broader — can describe people, institutions, customs, or ideas connected with religion

  • pious

    more formal and can sound slightly critical if the faith seems showy

  • observant

    stresses careful obedience to religious rules and rituals

反義詞
  • irreligious

    showing little interest in or respect for religion

  • secular

    not connected with religious belief or institutions

文法句型

be/remain/become + devout

devout + believer/religious noun

用法筆記

Used for a person's inner faith and regular religious practice. Distinguish from 'religious', which can also describe institutions, books, art, or customs connected with religion.

常見錯誤

❌The museum has a devout painting of Mary.
✅The museum has a religious painting of Mary.
💡'Devout' describes believers or their attitude, not objects such as art or buildings.

2. Showing wholehearted, serious commitment to a cause, idea, or way of life outsid

2.形容詞C1
釋義

Showing wholehearted, serious commitment to a cause, idea, or way of life outside religion.

例句

Constanza is a devout supporter of public libraries and reads to children every Saturday.

devout supporter of + cause

Karim is a devout believer in free school meals for every child.

devout believer in + idea

同義詞
  • devoted

    more common and flexible — especially natural after 'be' with 'to'

  • committed

    neutral and practical, without the moral or emotional intensity of 'devout'

  • earnest

    emphasizes sincerity and seriousness more than loyalty to a cause

反義詞
  • half-hearted

    showing only weak or partial support

  • cynical

    distrustful or mocking rather than sincerely committed

文法句型

devout believer in + idea

devout supporter/follower of + cause

用法筆記

This sense is formal and much less common than the religious one. It usually appears before nouns like 'supporter', 'believer', or 'admirer' rather than after a linking verb on its own.

常見錯誤

❌She is devout to climate action.
✅She is a devout supporter of climate action.
💡In this non-religious sense, 'devout' usually comes before a noun; after the verb, English more often uses 'devoted to'.