virtuous
adjective
vir·tu·ous
ˈvər-chə-wəs 
ˈvərch-wəs
2
: chaste
3
virtuously
adverb
virtuousness
noun
Examples of virtuous in a Sentence
In a kind of virtuous circle, the "second tier" schools got better as applications rose and they could become choosier in assembling a class—which in turn raised the quality of the whole experience on campus and made the school more attractive to both topflight professors and the next wave of applicants.
—
Nancy Gibbs et al., Time, 21 Aug. 2006
In its quest to create ice cream as voluptuous as butter and as virtuous as broccoli, the ice cream industry has probed the depths of the Arctic Ocean, studied the intimate structures of algae and foisted numerous failures on the American public.
—Julia Moskin, New York Times, 26 July 2006
Children born into high-income households become part of a virtuous circle of success. Parents with university degrees tend to earn more, set higher educational goals for their children, and invest more time in the children's schooling than parents who have a high-school education or less.
—Laura D'Andrea Tyson, BusinessWeek, 7 July 2003
We redefined virtue as health. And considering the probable state of our souls, this was not a bad move. By relocating the seat of virtue from the soul to the pecs, the abs and the coronary arteries, we may not have become the most virtuous people on earth, but we surely became the most desperate for grace. We spend $5 billion a year on our health-club memberships, $2 billion on vitamins, nearly $1 billion on home exercise equipment, and $6 billion on sneakers to wear out on our treadmills and StairMasters.
—Barbara Ehrenreich, Utne Reader, May/June 1992
She felt that she had made a virtuous decision by donating the money to charity.
virtuous behavior is its own reward
Nancy Gibbs et al., Time, 21 Aug. 2006
In its quest to create ice cream as voluptuous as butter and as virtuous as broccoli, the ice cream industry has probed the depths of the Arctic Ocean, studied the intimate structures of algae and foisted numerous failures on the American public.
—Julia Moskin, New York Times, 26 July 2006
Children born into high-income households become part of a virtuous circle of success. Parents with university degrees tend to earn more, set higher educational goals for their children, and invest more time in the children's schooling than parents who have a high-school education or less.
—Laura D'Andrea Tyson, BusinessWeek, 7 July 2003
We redefined virtue as health. And considering the probable state of our souls, this was not a bad move. By relocating the seat of virtue from the soul to the pecs, the abs and the coronary arteries, we may not have become the most virtuous people on earth, but we surely became the most desperate for grace. We spend $5 billion a year on our health-club memberships, $2 billion on vitamins, nearly $1 billion on home exercise equipment, and $6 billion on sneakers to wear out on our treadmills and StairMasters.
—Barbara Ehrenreich, Utne Reader, May/June 1992
She felt that she had made a virtuous decision by donating the money to charity.
virtuous behavior is its own reward
Recent Examples on the Web
Saints are persons in heaven who were officially canonized or not who did one of the following, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops:
Lived heroically virtuous lives.
—Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 1 May 2025
The Upshot Of The Trump Executive Order On Student Loan Accreditation Reform
In sum, the Trump executive order targeting student loan accreditation reform seeks to create a virtuous cycle for prospective students: higher-quality colleges, better student outcomes, and less onerous debt.
—Shahar Ziv, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
But to see who has just this virtuous discretion, voters will need a touch of that wisdom themselves.
—John Nemec, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2025
This creates a virtuous cycle where better results justify higher rates, which attract better clients, which inspire even better service.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for virtuous
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Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 1 May 2025
The Upshot Of The Trump Executive Order On Student Loan Accreditation Reform
In sum, the Trump executive order targeting student loan accreditation reform seeks to create a virtuous cycle for prospective students: higher-quality colleges, better student outcomes, and less onerous debt.
—Shahar Ziv, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
But to see who has just this virtuous discretion, voters will need a touch of that wisdom themselves.
—John Nemec, The Conversation, 7 Apr. 2025
This creates a virtuous cycle where better results justify higher rates, which attract better clients, which inspire even better service.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for virtuous
Cite this Entry
“Virtuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/virtuous. Accessed 24 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
virtuous
adjective
vir·tu·ous
ˈvərch-(ə-)wəs
: having or showing moral virtue
virtuously
adverb
virtuousness
noun
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