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View synonyms for

righteous

[ rahy-chuhs ]

adjective

  1. characterized by uprightness or morality:

    a righteous observance of the law.

  2. morally right or justifiable:

    righteous indignation.

  3. acting in an upright, moral way; virtuous:

    a righteous and godly person.

    Synonyms: , , ,

    Antonyms: ,

  4. Slang. absolutely genuine or wonderful:

    some righteous playing by a jazz great.



noun

  1. the righteous, (used with a plural verb) righteous persons collectively.

righteous

/ ˈɪʃə /

adjective

    1. characterized by, proceeding from, or in accordance with accepted standards of morality, justice, or uprightness; virtuous

      a righteous man

    2. ( as collective noun ; preceded by the )

      the righteous

  1. morally justifiable or right, esp from one's own point of view

    righteous indignation

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Derived Forms

  • ˈٱdzܲ, adverb
  • ˈٱdzܲԱ, noun
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Other yvlog Forms

  • Ĵdzܲ· adverb
  • v·Ĵdzܲ adjective
  • over·Ĵdzܲ· adverb
  • v·Ĵdzܲ·ness noun
  • ·Ĵdzܲ adjective
  • pre·Ĵdzܲ· adverb
  • ·Ĵdzܲ·ness noun
  • ܲȴ-Ĵdzܲ adjective
  • quasi-Ĵdzܲ· adverb
  • p·Ĵdzܲ adjective
  • super·Ĵdzܲ· adverb
  • p·Ĵdzܲ·ness noun
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of righteous1

First recorded before 900; earlier rightwos, rightwis (remodeled with -ous ), Middle English; Old English ٷī; right, wise 2
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of righteous1

Old English īٷī , from right + wise ²
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Then, in Arabic, he told me: "Because we believe that the wounds are a kind of medal from God. Honouring what we go through fighting a righteous cause."

From

"There's still righteous fury about that in the city, and although the truth has come out, there's never been any justice really."

From

The imperiled American Dream helped to fuel the righteous rage at the elites and a broken economic and political system that lifted Donald Trump back to the White House.

From

“You can feel good that if you choose to get involved and you choose to bring a claim against Southern California Edison, you are getting engaged in a righteous endeavor. This is a righteous lawsuit.”

From

A cut from her upcoming EP, due in April, “The Betrayal” is a sultry baile funk song that simmers with righteous indignation.

From

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More About Righteous

What doesrighteous mean?

Righteous is an adjective that means virtuous, honorable, or morally right.

Being righteous means doing what is right—obeying the law or adhering to morals. It is often used in a religious context.

Example: It’s not easy to engage in righteous behavior—in fact, if an action is difficult to take, it’s probably right!

Where doesrighteous come from?

Records of righteous date back to before the 900s. It descends from the Old English word ٷī, which was formed from riht, meaning “right,” and ī, referring to a manner or way of acting (as seen in words like otherwise and clockwise). Eventually, the word was altered with the adjectival suffix -ous.

Simply put, righteous describes someone who does what is right (especially all the time) according to certain laws or morals. The word can be applied to people or their actions, or to things like laws that are considered morally just. (The right in righteous means “just,” “good,” or “correct,” rather than the opposite of “left.”)

Righteous is used frequently in the context of legal or moral judgments and religious matters. The word is often used in phrases like righteous indignation or righteous anger to describe someone showing strong displeasure about some kind of injustice. The common term self-righteous is applied to people who are overly confident in their morality, especially when they criticize others.

Rightful can sometimes be used in the same way as righteous (meaning “in accordance with what is just”), but rightful is more commonly used to mean “having a valid claim” (as in rightful owner).

Righteous is sometimes used as a slang term meaning “excellent,” but this can sound a bit outdated.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to righteous?

  • righteousness (noun)
  • righteously (adverb)
  • overrighteous (adjective)
  • unrighteous (adjective)
  • the righteous (noun)
  • self-righteous (adjective)

What are some synonyms for righteous?

What are some words that share a root or word element with righteous?

What are some words that often get used in discussing righteous?

What are some words righteous may be commonly confused with?

How isrighteous used in real life?

Righteous is used to describe the moral character of a person or the fairness or justness of laws or rules. Because of this, it most often appears in the context of topics like criminal law, religion, and ethics.

Try using righteous!

Which of the following things is a righteous person most likely to do?

A. cheat on a test
B. return a lost wallet to its owner
C. ignore a traffic light
D. rob a bank

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