ungodly

B2
US /ʌnˈɡɑdli/ UK /ʌnˈɡɒdli/
adj adv Freq #28634

Meanings

  1. 1
    adj

    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. 2
    adj

    Immoral, sinful, or wicked.

    People often turn to ungodly ideas as an emotional response to trauma.

  3. 3
    adj

    Extreme; unreasonable.

    We had to start our journey at an ungodly hour.

  4. 4
    adv

    In an impious, irreverent, or ungodly manner; ungodlily.

    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⸝ [...]

  5. 5
    adj

    characterized by iniquity

Etymology

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 ongodeli…

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Thesaurus

Synonyms
1 adj · of a person: lacking... impiousirreligiousirreverent
2 adj · immoral, sinful, or wicked. abandonedaberrantarrantbadbad applebad seedbalefulbanefulbaseblack-heartedcorruptcorrupted
3 adj · extreme; unreasonable. dreadfulindecentoutrageous
5 adj · characterized by iniquity sinful
Word family
Derived forms ungodlilyungodliness

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