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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 comic, with its bickering heroes and setting in New York City, defied genre conventions and offered a radically different vision of superheroes than the staid, righteous Superman and Batman. Oliver Staley, Time, 25 July 2025 Social media amplifies this instinct, creating digital mobs that descend with righteous fury on anyone who stumbles publicly. Margie Warrell, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025 If righteous masculinity is what a great man does, then Trump and the politicians who mimic him are not masculine, at least not a version that should be applauded. Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 21 July 2025 Year: 1992 Director: Clint Eastwood Runtime: 2h 11m Where to stream: Rent on Amazon or Apple TV In his Best Picture–winning 1992 film, Clint Eastwood plays William Munny, a gunfighter who, inspired by his late wife, has abandoned his old ways for the righteous life of a farmer. Keith Phipps, Vulture, 18 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for righteous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for righteous
Adjective
  • Its own sly twist casts Robert Mitchum—the original Cady—as the elderly, honorable police lieutenant Elgart, and Gregory Peck, 1962’s Bowden, as Cady’s defense attorney.
    Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 29 July 2025
  • To this attack, some men have responded by lending their support to individuals that embody none of those honorable traits that men aspire to internalize.
    Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 21 July 2025
Adjective
  • This is a great way to spot medical fraud or an honest human error like a miscoding of services.
    Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
  • He’s been honest and realistic with his teammates about it.
    Dan Hayes, New York Times, 29 July 2025
Adjective
  • Aloe vera is low-maintenance, making the houseplant an excellent option for beginner houseplant owners, who don’t have much time for excessive plant care.
    Michelle Mastro, Architectural Digest, 23 July 2025
  • One of the best examples is her novel Made for Love, perhaps better known as an HBO show starring the excellent Cristin Milioti.
    The Atlantic Culture Desk, The Atlantic, 23 July 2025
Adjective
  • The primary concerns should be whether a lawyer is competent and ethical and whether another state’s licensing processes reasonably assure that.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2025
  • That legal gray area is further complicated by AI training methods that often rely on human feedback from non-experts, which raises significant ethical concerns.
    Wes Kilgore, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • While the Packers’ support of Walker was noble, getting your head coach enraged is never a good idea.
    Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 29 July 2025
  • On one hand, part of their appreciation for warning sirens lies in the noble purpose of preventing harm in the face of incipient natural disasters.
    Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 25 July 2025
Adjective
  • Brad Schmitt Hey there, new neighbors, and welcome back to our intro to Nashville and all the wonderful things the city has to offer you.
    Brad Schmitt, The Tennessean, 26 July 2025
  • Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.
    Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 26 July 2025
Adjective
  • This rings especially true for me, a vegetarian for nearly two decades.
    Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 26 July 2025
  • This was certainly true of the Mets last summer when Taylor played his way into the lineup more consistently than Harrison Bader.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 26 July 2025
Adjective
  • The vibes are great in Chicago, where it’s been Johnson’s show since the former Lions OC agreed to join the Bears on a contract reportedly worth $13 million per year.
    Torrey Hart, New York Times, 31 July 2025
  • With a solid data foundation, external factors like fuel prices or carrier availability can be incorporated into planning with greater confidence.
    Clemente Theotokis, Forbes.com, 31 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Righteous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/righteous. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

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