righteous

adjective

ˈrī-chəs How to pronounce righteous (audio)
Definition of righteousnext
1
as in honorable
conforming to a high standard of morality or virtue a righteous man can be trusted to act honorably regardless of the circumstances

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in honest
following the accepted rules of moral conduct righteous behavior is its own reward

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in excellent
slang of the very best kind a nightspot that's a dependable venue for righteous jazz

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective righteous differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of righteous are ethical, moral, noble, and virtuous. While all these words mean "conforming to a standard of what is right and good," righteous stresses guiltlessness or blamelessness and often suggests the sanctimonious.

wished to be righteous before God and the world

Where would ethical be a reasonable alternative to righteous?

The meanings of ethical and righteous largely overlap; however, ethical may suggest the involvement of more difficult or subtle questions of rightness, fairness, or equity.

committed to the highest ethical principles

When would moral be a good substitute for righteous?

Although the words moral and righteous have much in common, moral implies conformity to established sanctioned codes or accepted notions of right and wrong.

the basic moral values of a community

When might noble be a better fit than righteous?

While the synonyms noble and righteous are close in meaning, noble implies moral eminence and freedom from anything petty, mean, or dubious in conduct and character.

had the noblest of reasons for seeking office

When could virtuous be used to replace righteous?

While in some cases nearly identical to righteous, virtuous implies moral excellence in character.

not a religious person, but virtuous nevertheless

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of righteous The speech got worse: The mighty E Street Band is here tonight to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock ’n’ roll, in dangerous times. . . . —Armond White, National Review, 28 May 2025 Down encourages readers to use their righteous anger toward rebuilding a fractured world. —Shannon Carlin, Time, 22 May 2025 Then Kidman—who strikes me as equal parts human kindness and Chanel No. 5—gets something close to righteous. —Danielle Pergament, Allure, 22 May 2025 Has this show undermined the scariness of the K-X enforcer droids that was on display just a few episodes ago by so thoroughly associating their body-slamming might with K-2SO doling out righteous Empire punishment in between fussy quips? —Jesse Hassenger, Vulture, 14 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for righteous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for righteous
  1. honorable
  2. honest
  3. excellent
  4. ethical
  5. noble
  6. wonderful
  7. true
  8. great
Adjective
  • After his honorable discharge from the Marine Corps, Quang enjoyed a successful pharmaceutical sales stint as a top producer for Astra/Merck and then Genentech.
    — Quang X. Pham, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025
  • Civil disobedience is honorable; violence is beyond the pale.
    — David French, Mercury News, 10 June 2025
Definition of honorable
Adjective
  • How can leaders conduct honest conversations without inspiring defensiveness, denial, or backlash?
    — Lauren Howe, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • One of those fans, apparently, is singer Ciara, who recently urged the Harlem artist to make Lampkin an honest women after running into the rapper in the BET Awards press room this weekend.
    — Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 9 June 2025
Definition of honest
Adjective
  • Robin will make an excellent addition to our great Kentucky State Senate Majority!
    — Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 June 2025
  • Greenery also makes an excellent addition to a resortcore space.
    — Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 June 2025
Definition of excellent
Adjective
  • Leaders question assumptions, weigh options, and make thoughtful, ethical decisions.
    — William Arruda, Forbes.com, 15 June 2025
  • The Australian fashion label endeavors to meet ethical sourcing standards as part of its practices, per the brand’s sustainability statement.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 13 June 2025
Definition of ethical
Adjective
  • The Henckel von Donnersmarck tiara, $12.7 Million The Henckel von Donnersmarck tiara was previously part of the collection of Princess Katherina Henckel von Donnersmarck, a member of Germany’s noble family.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 13 June 2025
  • Even Lucy’s favorite customer, Sophie (Zoe Winters), isn’t that noble.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2025
Definition of noble
Adjective
  • The English cook and writer’s 2006 book is a heartfelt hymn for wonderful food and flavors, without hours spent toiling in the kitchen or overly formal settings.
    — Hayley Maitland, Vogue, 7 June 2025
  • She’s got a wonderful dynamic with Sydney Agudong, who plays Nani.
    — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 7 June 2025
Definition of wonderful
Adjective
  • Mosquitoes are a true scourge, responsible for up to one million human deaths per year.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
  • The film also stars Yul Vazquez, Ashlie Atkinson and Spencer Watson. Co-written by Greengrass and Brad Inglesby, The Lost Bus is inspired by true events featured in Lizzie Johnson’s 2021 book Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 8 June 2025
Definition of true
Adjective
  • No putt was more important than his 20-foot par putt up the ridge on No. 9 to finish off a great round the right way.
    — Doug Ferguson, Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2025
  • Yakuza League follows Batman’s return to feudal-era Japan to face off against a mysterious new threat — the Yakuza League — formed from the warped remnants of his greatest allies.
    — Sara Merican, Deadline, 13 June 2025
Definition of great

Browse Nearby Words

righted
righteous
righteously
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Cite this Entry

“Righteous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/righteous. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.

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