prayerful
prayerful — adjective
- prayerfulpositive
- more prayerfulcomparative
- most prayerfulsuperlative
1. relating to offering prayers to God or a higher power — used to describe a perso
relating to offering prayers to God or a higher power — used to describe a person who is in the middle of praying, or an action or event that involves or accompanies prayer.
The Watanabe family formed a prayerful circle, thanking God for a blessing before their meal.
prayerful + noun for a religious activity
Asher led the group in a prayerful song before the evening meal was served.
A prayerful mood settled over the crowd as the church bells began to ring.
Nora lit a candle and sat in prayerful silence beside her sleeping child.
The monk took a prayerful walk through the garden as part of his daily practice.
- reverent
focuses on deep respect rather than the act of praying
- worshipful
more formal and suggests active worship
- irreverent
showing lack of respect for sacred things
- profane
treating holy things with disrespect
用法筆記
This sense is the most literal. It commonly modifies nouns describing actions performed during worship, such as 'meeting', 'reading', 'song', 'silence', and 'walk'.
常見錯誤
2. extremely serious and deeply sincere in a way that resembles the emotional quali
extremely serious and deeply sincere in a way that resembles the emotional quality of a prayer — used to describe earnest requests, appeals, or promises (for example, a prayerful plea for peace or a prayerful promise to protect someone).
Shirin made a prayerful request to the village elders to help the homeless children.
prayerful + request / appeal
The farmers listened in prayerful attention as Elder Kwame described the drought's damage.
Jude gave a prayerful promise to look after his younger sister after their parents died.
The letter was a prayerful plea for peace between the two fighting families.
Haruto knelt at the temple altar with prayerful eyes, asking for his grandmother's recovery.
用法筆記
This figurative sense usually modifies nouns related to speech or emotion ('request', 'promise', 'plea', 'silence', 'attention'). It has no direct religious meaning — it compares the emotional quality of an action to that of a prayer.
常見錯誤
3. having a strong habit of praying and living according to the rules of a religion
having a strong habit of praying and living according to the rules of a religion, often describing a person or a community.
Emma comes from a prayerful family that attends religious services every week.
prayerful family / community
The prayerful members of the village gather at the temple before the sun rises.
Ramón is a prayerful man who thanks God each morning for the new day.
The prayerful community built a small church where families could worship together.
Apinya follows a prayerful life, visiting the temple every week without fail.
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1: sense 3 describes a person's character or a community's nature ('a prayerful person'), while sense 1 describes a specific action or event ('a prayerful meeting'). Overlaps with 'devout' but emphasises the habit of praying rather than the strength of belief.