What does "ungodly" mean?
Of a person: lacking reverence for God; of an action: not in accordance with God's will or religious teachings.
Ungodly
/ʌnˈɡɒdli/ adj, adv, slang
adj, adv, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Of a person: lacking reverence for God; of an action: not in accordance with God's will or religious teachings.
- Grammar: ungodly is listed as adj, adv, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: sinful, a bit thick, a bit thin, absurd.
- Useful contrasts: sacred, christlike, christly.
- Usage evidence: You can't use your sadness as an excuse to be ungodly.
How to use "ungodly"
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- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "ungodly" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "ungodly" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "ungodly" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "ungodly" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "ungodly" is acting as adj, adv, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "sinful" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
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When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Of a person: lacking reverence for God; of an action: not in accordance with God's will or religious teachings.
"They ſay You are a ſpot among Chriſtians; and that Religion fareth the worſe for your ungodly converſation, that ſome have already ſtumbled at your wicked ways, and that more are in danger of being deſtroyed thereby; your Religion, and an Ale-Houſe, and Covetouſneſs, and uncleanneſs, and ſwearing, and lying, and vain-Company-keeping, &c., will ſtand together."
- 2 Immoral, sinful, or wicked.
"People often turn to ungodly ideas as an emotional response to trauma."
- 3 Extreme; unreasonable. informal
"We had to start our journey at an ungodly hour."
Adjective
- 1 characterized by iniquity; wicked because it is believed to be a sin wordnet
Adverb
- 1 In an impious, irreverent, or ungodly manner; ungodlily. obsolete
"Beholde⸝ the lorde ſhall come with thouſandꝭ of ſayntꝭ⸝ to geve iudgement agaynſt all men⸝ and to rebuke all that are vngodly amonge them⸝ of all their vngodly dedes⸝ which they have vngodly cõmitted⸝ [...]"
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"You can't use your sadness as an excuse to be ungodly."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "ungodly"?
Common synonyms include: sinful, a bit thick, a bit thin, absurd, adamic, appalling.
How do you use "ungodly" in a sentence?
You can't use your sadness as an excuse to be ungodly.
How do you pronounce "ungodly"?
Pronounced /ʌnˈɡɒdli/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English ungodli [and other forms], from un- (prefix meaning ‘not’), + godli (“belonging to God; resembling God, godlike”). Godli is derived from Old English godlīċ (“divine, godlike; godly”), from god (“god”) + -līċ (“suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘characteristic of, pertaining to’”). The English word may be analysed as un- + godly, and is cognate with Middle Dutch ongodelijc (modern Dutch ongoddelijk), Middle High German ungötlich (modern German ungöttlich), Old Norse óguðligr (“ungodly”) (Danish ugudelig, Icelandic óguðlegur), Swedish ogudlig.
Etymology 2
From Middle English ungodli (“cruelly, maliciously, wickedly; unfairly, unlawfully, wrongly; discourteously, rudely”) [and other forms], from un- (prefix meaning ‘not’), + godli (“excellently; pleasingly, splendidly; courteously, graciously; gladly, willingly; righteously; properly, rightly; at all, possibly; much”). Godli is probably derived from Old English gōdlīċe (“goodly”), from gōd (“good”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- (“to join, unite; to suit”)) + -līċe (suffix forming adverbs); thus, equivalent to un- + good + -ly. The English word is cognate with Middle Dutch ongodelike, ongodlike (modern Dutch ongoddelijk), Middle High German ungöttlich, Swedish ogudelike, ogudlike (both obsolete), ogudligt.