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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 Arrested and forcibly removed, Colvin was full of righteous defiance. Sughnen Yongo, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025 Whatever righteous coup June imagined achieving in the past seems unlikely to transpire. Ben Travers, IndieWire, 8 Apr. 2025 Hazel’s reactions include righteous anger and wonder at how people could be so cruel. Justin Porter, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025 Their righteous scores soon turn dangerous when the pair end up robbing the wrong house to one of the biggest and secretive narcotics operations on the East coast. Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 6 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for righteous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for righteous
Adjective
  • Take the cake out of the equation and address his actions, which, on that day, were less than honorable.
    Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Naturally, the honorable scout leader is horrified by what’s happening to him.
    Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The families who manage this best are the ones who acknowledge it openly, and make space for honest conversations.
    Francois Botha, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
  • But that was less Counsell putting Brown on notice about his spot in the rotation and more so just being honest.
    Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 3 May 2025
Adjective
  • He’s been excellent in dealing with traffic, as the Golden Knights put more bodies in front of him on Tuesday than pretty much the first four games.
    Michael Russo, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Pumpkin Seeds Pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of iron.
    Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, RDN, Health, 30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • His relationship evolved from setting firm boundaries to setting ethical guardrails, offering context, and supporting his autonomy with curiosity and love.
    Rebekah Bastian, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • Despite all of that, as the legislature enters the final weeks of its spring session, strengthening the state’s ethical safeguards doesn’t appear to be anywhere near the top of the agenda in Springfield.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Voices Despite noble intentions, California’s environmental law is hurting Latinos July 19, 2024 Rent in California is 50% higher than the national median, according to U.S. Census data.
    Sandra McDonald, Los Angeles Times, 8 May 2025
  • Our characters deeply love each other, and the conflict between them is about noble issues, not petty drama.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 8 May 2025
Adjective
  • Washington Capitals, won 4-1 against Montreal Last week: 7 Sean: 4 Dom: 9 Pierre-Luc Dubois had a fine first round, but zero goals and two assists were still a step down from his wonderful regular season.
    Dom Luszczyszyn, New York Times, 2 May 2025
  • The wonderful thing is that Carrie Preston is wonderful with everybody.
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 1 May 2025
Adjective
  • The Edmonton Oilers entered the postseason with more roster questions than any true Stanley Cup contender this spring.
    Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 3 May 2025
  • While hazing has come under intense scrutiny in recent years, incidents like the one in Syracuse are reminders of how vague the true scope of hazing nationwide remains and the need for more tangible hazing prevention practices, experts and advocates say.
    Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 3 May 2025
Adjective
  • White Smoke Billows from Vatican Chimney White smoke billowed from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel and the great bells of St. Peter's Basilica rang out on Thursday, signaling that a new pope—the 267th leader of the Catholic Church—had been chosen on the second day of the conclave.
    Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 May 2025
  • There is seemingly a show for each subgenre for fans of all those great 2000s series.
    Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 9 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Righteous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/righteous. Accessed 11 May. 2025.

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