religion

religion — noun

1. a system of faith, rituals, and values shared by a group of people, involving be

1.nounA2
Definition

a system of faith, rituals, and values shared by a group of people, involving belief in a god, multiple gods, or a spiritual force that shapes how they understand the world and live their lives.

Example

Yuki visits the temple every Sunday as part of her religion.

visits [place] as part of [religion]

Many people turn to religion for comfort during difficult times in their lives.

turn to religion for comfort

Common collocations
  • organized religion
  • practice a religion
  • follow a religion
  • convert to a religion
  • freedom of religion
  • major religions
  • religion and culture
Synonyms
  • faith

    more personal and emotional; often refers to the inner belief rather than the outer system

  • spirituality

    broader term that may not involve a god or organised institutions

  • creed

    more formal, usually referring to a written statement of beliefs

  • belief system

    neutral, academic term covering any set of shared convictions

Antonyms
  • atheism

    the absence of belief in any god or gods

  • secularism

    the principle of separating religion from government and public life

Grammar Patterns

the religion of [group]

religion [verb]

[adjective] religion

Usage Note

Often used as an uncountable noun when referring to the general concept of religious belief (She felt drawn to religion), and as a countable noun when referring to specific faith systems (Buddhism and Christianity are two major religions).

Common Mistakes

My religion is very important for me.
My religion is very important to me.
The adjective 'important' takes the preposition 'to', not 'for', when expressing personal value.
She believes religion.
She believes in religion.
The verb 'believe' requires the preposition 'in' when referring to a system of faith.

2. an activity or interest that someone treats with the same devotion and seriousne

2.nounB2
Definition

an activity or interest that someone treats with the same devotion and seriousness that other people give to their faith — for example, a sport, hobby, or cause that becomes a central part of daily life.

Example

Football is practically a religion for Felipe — he never misses a match.

practically a religion for [person]

For Shirin, yoga became a religion; she practices every morning without fail.

[activity] became a religion

Common collocations
  • a religion for [somebody]
  • practically a religion
  • become a religion
  • like a religion
  • make a religion of [something]
Synonyms
  • obsession

    stronger and more negative, suggesting the activity has become unhealthy

  • passion

    more positive but less total; a passion can be intense without organising one's whole life around it

  • devotion

    similar level of commitment but more formal and less tied to a single activity

Antonyms
  • indifference

    lack of any particular interest or feeling toward an activity

Grammar Patterns

[subject] is a religion for [person]

Usage Note

This figurative sense always uses the countable form (a religion, her religion) and follows the pattern '[activity] is/was a religion for [person]'. Register is informal and best suited to conversation, blogs, and personal writing rather than formal academic or business texts.

Common Mistakes

Cooking is religion to her' (missing article).
Cooking is a religion to her.
In the figurative sense, religion is a countable noun and must take an article or determiner.
Now she came to see gardening as religion for her.
Now she has come to see gardening as a religion for her.
The figurative sense requires 'a' and the present perfect is more natural with 'come to see'.
Idioms

get religion

idiom

To suddenly become very serious about a belief or activity.

After the accident, my uncle got religion about wearing seatbelts.

Did the company finally get religion about reducing plastic waste?

Word family

  • religious
    adjectiveA2
  • religiously
    adverbB1
  • irreligious
    adjectiveC1
  • religiosity
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Faith, spirituality, creed, and belief system all overlap with religion but differ in scope and tone. Faith focuses on personal trust or conviction and can exist outside any institution ('her faith in God never wavered'). Spirituality is a broader term encompassing personal experiences of meaning or transcendence, often without a god or organised structure. Creed is a formal, narrow term for a specific statement of doctrine (e.g., the Nicene Creed), while belief system is a neutral academic label that can include non-religious worldviews like humanism. In everyday use: 'What religion do you follow?' asks about community membership, whereas 'What faith are you?' leans more personal, and 'What is your belief system?' sounds analytical.

faith ↗spiritualitycreedbelief system

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • freedom of religion
  • a religion for [somebody]

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The English word religion comes from the Latin religio, which meant 'reverence for the gods' or 'conscientiousness'. Its deeper origin is debated: many scholars connect it to the verb religare, meaning 'to bind again' (from re- 'again' + ligare 'to bind'), suggesting that religion is what binds people to the divine or to one another in a shared system. The word passed from Latin into Old French before entering English around the 1200s, initially carrying the sense of 'a monastic life' before broadening to its modern meaning.