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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 Fired from elite law firm Tinley Britt after an argument with his boss (John Slattery), Rudy barely pauses for breath before launching into righteous combat. Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2025 Onscreen, Evans’s Mike Tyler instead takes a more self-destructive route — at times, equal parts hilarious and harrowing — preoccupied by his public image and being perceived as a righteous do-gooder. Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025 When big gatherings of police and federal agents suddenly show up in residential areas, crowds often meet them with cell phone cameras, righteous indignation and insults. Daniel C. Vock, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025 But when Wonderboy has a life-altering encounter that exposes the cracks in their righteous facade, the women who love them reveal a deeper truth about the grip of patriarchy, silence, and generational sin. Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 30 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for righteous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for righteous
Adjective
  • Initially receiving a general discharge, Matlovich’s status was posthumously elevated to honorable.
    Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 8 Sep. 2025
  • That would be the honest, fair and honorable thing to do.
    U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Simmons is a shell of his former self as a playmaker and was never able to develop a jump shot to at least keep defenses honest.
    Noah Camras, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
  • And being honest about that helped build long-term trust.
    Greg Peters, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Harry Dean Stanton is excellent.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025
  • Moisture recovery ranged from good to excellent, with morning relative humidity levels between 55% and 88%.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Critical thinking, emotional intelligence, creativity, and ethical reasoning.
    Jaime Catmull, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
  • There will be people who may address the ethical concerns of filming someone during an extended breakdown.
    Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Tucked into the whispering meadows of the Netherlands, Hof van Saksen is a majestic eco-resort—a former noble estate reborn as a family-first urban oasis spanning over 160 lush acres.
    Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
  • The affection Agnes holds for her children and the anger aimed at her husband, not to mention a world cruel enough to rob her of a child, are both tuned with precision to crack your noble heart.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The film, which largely unfolds on Christmas Eve, has a wonderful sense of the dying light of a late December day, the transition from a shade of damp gray to the inky black of night, and, even better, an actual sense of a particular American place.
    Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
  • This all sounds wonderful, but for me, oil control surpasses everything.
    Lily Wohlner, Allure, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Slater’s first blast of the evening was a true wall-scraper in the top of the third, barely clearing the center-field fence to give the Giants an early 1-0 lead.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 20 Sep. 2025
  • And remember, the point spread is designed to divide the wagers evenly, not be a true indicator of value.
    Jack Magruder, Forbes.com, 20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Another great addition is live captions and translation.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Praise feels great, ridicule or people not liking it doesn't.
    Steve Baltin, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Righteous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/righteous. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.

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