righteous

righ·teous

adjective \ˈrī-chəs\

Definition of RIGHTEOUS

1

: acting in accord with divine or moral law : free from guilt or sin

2

a : morally right or justifiable <a righteous decision>

b : arising from an outraged sense of justice or morality <righteous indignation>

3

slang : genuine, excellent

— righ·teous·ly adverb

— righ·teous·ness noun

Examples of RIGHTEOUS

1. <a righteous man can be trusted to act honorably regardless of the circumstances>
2. <righteous behavior is its own reward>
3. The mix of Yorkshire-inherited bluntness and a caustic, chirpy South London cynicism (vividly parodied and perhaps too endearingly celebrated in the voice of Dora Chance, narrator of Wise Children) stops her from sounding righteous or dogmatic. —Hermione Lee, Times Literary Supplement, 19 June 1992
4. I didn't know until long after I was grown that Grandpa Durham—that stern and righteous Baptist—sometimes made persimmon beer and cooled it in the cistern. —Jim W. Corder, Chronicle of a Small Town, 1989
5. He was foreman at Lyman's North End foundry, the largest stove-making foundry in the city, and had risen in eleven years, despite his lung ailment, from apprentice to moulder to chief grievance spokesman, a voice of righteous reason from below. —William Kennedy, Harper's , March 1988
6. The Believers tried to lead a simple, righteous life, practicing pacifism and confession of sins and recognizing the equality of all humankind. —Robert P. Emlen, Natural History, September 1987

Origin of RIGHTEOUS

alteration of earlier rightuous, alteration of Middle English rightwise, rightwos, from Old English rihtwīs, from riht, noun, right + wīs wise

First Known Use: 1530

Related to RIGHTEOUS

Synonyms

all right, decent, ethical, honest, honorable, just, moral, nice, right, good, right-minded, straight, true, upright, virtuous

Antonyms

bad, black, dishonest, dishonorable, evil, evil-minded, immoral, indecent, sinful, unethical, unrighteous, wicked, wrong

Related Words

correct, decorous, proper, seemly; high-minded, noble, principled; commendable, creditable, exemplary, legitimate; esteemed, law-abiding, menschy, reputable, respected, upstanding, worthy; blameless, clean, guiltless, immaculate, incorrupt (also incorrupted), incorruptible, innocent, inoffensive, irreproachable, unobjectionable; angelic (or angelical), lily-white, pure, scrupulous, spotless, uncorrupted, unerring; goody-goody, moralistic, pharisaical, rectitudinous, sanctimonious, self-righteous

Near Antonyms

improper, incorrect, indecorous, naughty, unbecoming, unseemly; corrupt, debased, debauched, degenerate, depraved, dissolute, libertine, perverted, reprobate; unprincipled, unscrupulous; atrocious, infamous, villainous; base, low, mean, vicious, vile; blameworthy, objectionable, offensive; iniquitous, nefarious; errant, erring, fallen

See Synonym Discussion at moral

Other Religion (Eastern and Other) Terms

Zen, antinomian, avatar, gnosticism, illuminati, ineffable, karma, koan, mantra