holier
Closer to divine
Holier is the comparative form of holy—more sacred, more spiritually pure, more devoted to religious observance.
The word appears most often in the dismissive phrase holier-than-thou, describing someone who acts morally superior to others: I can't stand her holier-than-thou attitude about organic food.
Faithfully devoted to worship
- devoutDeeply religious, sincere
- prayerfulGiven to worship
- reverentFeeling profound respect
- faithfulConsistently loyal and true
spiritual · godly · saintly · blessed · righteous · worshipful · meditative · ascetic
Smugly certain of correctness
- preachyExcessively moralizing in tone
- smugExcessively self-satisfied
- hypocriticalFeigning beliefs one lacks
- pharisaicalHypocritically self-righteous
sanctimonious · priggish · pious · moralistic · superior · condescending · judgmental · pompous
Declared sacred through ritual
- sanctifiedMade sacred through blessing
- blessedReceiving divine favor
- divineOf or from gods
- veneratedRegarded with profound respect
sacrosanct · anointed · revered · exalted · glorified · sanctioned · enshrined · canonized
pious
Faithfully devoted to worship
faithful · spiritual · godly · saintly · blessed · righteous · worshipful · meditative · ascetic · monastic
self-righteous
Smugly certain of correctness
- preachyExcessively moralizing in tone
- smugExcessively self-satisfied
- hypocriticalFeigning beliefs one lacks
pharisaical · sanctimonious · priggish · pious · moralistic · superior · condescending · judgmental · pompous · pretentious
consecrated
Declared sacred through ritual
- sanctifiedMade sacred through blessing
- blessedReceiving divine favor
- divineOf or from gods
venerated · sacrosanct · anointed · revered · exalted · glorified · sanctioned · enshrined · canonized · beatified
purer
Less adulterated
- holier than thouSmugly morally superior
- Your HolinessPapal form of address
- His HolinessPope's formal honorific
- Holy of HoliesTemple's innermost sacred chamber
- holier than thou attitude
- holiness churchDenomination teaching complete consecration