godly
gb/ɡˈɑdli/ us/ɡˈɑdli/
B2
English
~ 9900
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
deeply religious and devoted
Very religious and living in a way that shows strong love and respect for God.
Usage pattern:
a godly [person / man / woman / life]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "godly" with "godlike". "Godly" usually means devout and religious in character, while "godlike" means having power or beauty like a god. Also, "godly" is not capitalized, but "God" is.
Synonyms
devout (Focuses on strong personal religious belief and practice; slightly more common in general writing than "godly".)
Antonyms
godless (Describes someone or something that does not believe in or respect God, often with a critical tone in religious contexts.)
Collocations
godly man
|godly woman
|godly parents
|godly life
|godly character
|godly upbringing
Themes
religion
|values
Examples
- He was known as a godly man who spent time each day in prayer.
- She credits her godly parents with teaching her compassion and honesty.
- The community respected her quiet, godly life of service to others.
- They prayed for a godly leader who would guide the church wisely.
- Her godly example had a deep influence on the children in her care.
Learner examples
- His grandfather is a very godly man.
- They want to raise their children in a godly home.
- She tries to live a godly life every day.
- People in the town saw her as gentle and godly.
- The pastor asked the group to look for godly friends.
adjective
B2
property
2
morally good in a religious way
Very good and right in a way that agrees with what God wants.
Usage pattern:
a godly [attitude / example / choice / lifestyle]
Common mistake:
Learners may think "godly" here only means "religious". In this sense, it also strongly includes being kind, honest, and fair, especially because of religious reasons.
Synonyms
righteous (Stresses being morally right, especially by following religious or moral law; can sound slightly more formal or biblical.)
Antonyms
sinful (Describes behavior that breaks God’s laws or is morally wrong in a religious sense.)
Collocations
godly behavior
|godly values
|godly attitude
|godly example
|godly lifestyle
|godly choices
Themes
religion
|values
|ethics
Examples
- They urged the youth to make godly choices in their relationships.
- Her patience and kindness were held up as a godly example to the church.
- He struggled to keep a godly attitude toward someone who had hurt him deeply.
- The book gives practical advice on godly living in a modern world.
- Many parents hope their children will grow up with godly values.
Learner examples
- She wants to show a godly attitude at work.
- He is trying to build godly habits in his life.
- The teacher talked about godly behavior in the classroom.
- They read a story about godly people who helped the poor.
- The group discussed what a godly lifestyle looks like.
adjective
literary
C1
property
3
having power or greatness like a god
Having very great power, beauty, or another quality, so that people compare it to a god.
Usage pattern:
godly [power / strength / beauty / authority]
Common mistake:
Learners often mix this sense with the common adjective "godlike". In modern English, "godlike" is more usual for this meaning, while "godly" is more often used for religious or moral character.
Synonyms
divine (Often used for things that belong to or come from a god; can also mean extremely good or beautiful in a more general, sometimes lighter tone.)
Antonyms
mortal (Describes ordinary human beings who can die, in contrast to gods or godlike beings.)
Collocations
godly power
|godly strength
|godly beauty
|godly authority
|godly wisdom
|godly status
Themes
religion
|literature
|fantasy
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The ancient king claimed a godly power over life and death.
- Her almost godly beauty left the crowd in stunned silence.
- In the myth, the hero receives godly strength to defeat the monster.
- The emperor was treated with a godly reverence that bordered on fear.
- The character seeks godly wisdom to guide his troubled kingdom.
Learner examples
- In the story, the king has godly power.
- People bowed before the statue with godly beauty.
- The hero is given godly strength for the final battle.
- They believed the ruler had godly authority.
- The poem speaks of godly light in the sky.
adjective
slang
C1
property
4
extremely good or impressive (slang)
Very informal: used to say that something is amazing or extremely good.
Usage pattern:
godly [skill / play / taste / performance]
Common mistake:
Learners may take this slang use literally and think it always has a strong religious meaning. In internet slang, it usually just means "extremely good" or "amazing". It can sound strange or offensive in formal or religious settings.
Synonyms
insane (In slang, "insane" can also mean extremely good or impressive; it is more common and not tied to religious language.)
Antonyms
trash (Very informal slang for something very low-quality or very bad, often used in the same online spaces.)
Collocations
godly aim
|godly skills
|godly vocals
|godly play
|godly combo
|godly setup
Themes
internet
|informal
|youth
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Her guitar solo was absolutely godly and the crowd went wild.
- That player has godly aim; he never seems to miss a shot.
- The chef’s sauce was so rich and balanced it tasted godly.
- Fans praised the singer’s godly vocals in the live performance.
- He pulled off a godly combo and won the match in seconds.
Learner examples
- His gaming skills are godly.
- People said the band’s new song is godly.
- Her chocolate cake tastes godly.
- Everyone in the chat called that move godly.
- The fans wrote that his voice is godly.
Grammar
Dictionary form
godly
IPA
GB/ɡˈɑdli/
US/ɡˈɑdli/
Syllables & stress
godly (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (godly)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: godly
Word family
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.