rectitude

noun

ˈrek-tə-ˌtüd How to pronounce rectitude (audio)
Definition of rectitudenext
1
as in morality
conduct that conforms to an accepted standard of right and wrong encouraged the graduates to go on to live lives of unimpeachable rectitude and integrity

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in integrity
faithfulness to high moral standards has a finely honed sense of rectitude that keeps him from cheating on exams

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 rectitude And not unlike that earlier film, this one takes its tale of debauchery and rectitude and reconciles everything with a fiery third act. — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025 The subtler truth is that a similar kind of minimalist rectitude is what has governed the best of the older monuments in the nation’s capital. — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2025 Indeed, comprehensive independent police auditing would help ensure, not harm, the rectitude of police investigations. — Mercury News Editorial, Mercury News, 22 Aug. 2025 Mao’s brand of Communism combined a peasant ethos of physical labor with a Soviet pathos for ideological rectitude. — John Delury, Foreign Affairs, 25 Nov. 2013 See All Example Sentences for rectitude
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rectitude
  1. morality
  2. integrity
  3. virtue
  4. honesty
  5. goodness
  6. honor
Noun
  • Law & Courts A failed execution in Tennessee and plans to livestream a firing squad are recharging America’s death penalty debate, raising questions about morality and justice.
    — Patrik Jonsson, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The novel explores free will, fate, and morality, and was famously adapted into a classic film by Stanley Kubrick in 1971.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of morality
Noun
  • Early showings have drawn critical acclaim, but it's also been criticized by Musk himself on X, saying the film has zero integrity.
    — Stephen Desaulniers,Julia Boorstin, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026
  • That growth has fueled disputes with states and Native American tribes over regulatory authority, while drawing scrutiny from sports leagues over game integrity and from advocates who say the platforms’ accessibility increases the risk of addiction.
    — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of integrity
Noun
  • New recruits and seasoned officers alike take field trips to the Museum of Tolerance, where trainers extol the virtues of multiculturalism.
    — Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Baek Ki-hyeon aspired to walk a path of virtue and provide for their sister through honest means — but his calculating spymaster big brother was never going to let them out of his grasp.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of virtue
Noun
  • Like Kehlani and Tinashe, Jhené’s honesty transcended her commercial appeal.
    — Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 5 Oct. 2026
  • That is a fair point, but honesty cuts both ways; the factory of the past is a memory, not a reality.
    — Jeff Danielson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of honesty
Noun
  • How much capacity do people really have to choose between goodness and evil?
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Nobody was better at selling their own inherent goodness to moviegoers.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of goodness
Noun
  • The Hong Kong director, whose classics include Boat People and A Simple Life, previously received Busan’s Asian Filmmaker of the Year honor in 2014 and Venice’s Golden Lion for lifetime achievement in 2020.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The annual gathering honors Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day, which falls on the last weekend of September.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of honor

Browse Nearby Words

rectifying
rectitude
rectitudinous
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Cite this Entry

“Rectitude.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rectitude. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

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