riddance

noun

rid·​dance ˈri-dᵊn(t)s 

1

: an act of ridding

2

: deliverance, relief

—often used in the phrase good riddance especially to express relief that someone or something has gone

Synonyms

• discarding
• disposal
• disposition
• dumping
• jettison
• junking
• removal
• scrapping
• throwing away

Examples of riddance in a Sentence

the riddance of all the fleas from the house was a relief to everyone concerned

Recent Examples on the Web

Until his death of a heart attack in 1970, Nasser waged a relentless crusade for pan-Arabism—the idea that all Arabs were one people, with Egypt as their natural leader, and that the boundaries between Arab states were ripe for riddance. —Tunku Varadarajan, WSJ, 15 Nov. 2023

Good riddance to that rubbish. —Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2023

Good riddance to zero interest rates. —Andy Kessler, WSJ, 6 Feb. 2022

Still, good riddance to that guy. —Jeva Lange, The Week, 28 Sep. 2021

Honestly, good riddance to that pairing! —Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 4 June 2021

Good riddance to all of that garbage, hopefully. —CNN, 14 May 2021

Good riddance to them all. —Jonathon Van Maren, National Review, 1 Nov. 2020

Good riddance to bad rubbish. —Michael Lee, Washington Examiner, 19 Oct. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1524, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing riddance

• good riddance

Kids Definition

riddance

noun

rid·​dance ˈrid-ᵊn(t)s 

: the act of ridding : the state of being rid of