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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 Does righteous living directly result in wealth, good health, and a long life? Walt Shelton, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 The scripts can't decide if Parker is villainous or righteous (and not in a moral dilemma way, just in a bad writing way), and poor Ramos is left in the middle. Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 26 June 2025 Abbey based his characters and their creative, righteous acts of sabotage on the attitudes and actions of his real-life friends, who were outraged at the government’s failure to protect delicate, exquisite public wilderness areas from destructive, uninspired, privatized human sprawl. Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 1 Aug. 2025 Such a war cannot be fought exclusively with precision strikes, the soldiers fighting it cannot be prevented from making terrible mistakes, and war crimes are inevitably committed even in righteous conflicts. Ross Douthat, Mercury News, 31 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for righteous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for righteous
Adjective
  • Law enforcement really is an honorable profession that serves the community at whole very well.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 4 Aug. 2025
  • Just continue to guide your daughter toward honorable behavior.
    Harriette Cole, Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Creatively, the book features specific talking points to spark transparent and honest conversations.
    Essence, Essence, 7 Aug. 2025
  • The project intends to empower Californians to engage in honest discussions, according to its mission statement.
    Amelia Wu, Sacbee.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • And its large, thin leaves do provide excellent material to us as mulch or in a compost pile.
    Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 16 Aug. 2025
  • Compensation of a sort came as the excellent form continued in the league.
    Andy Mitten, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • As a result, many have already experienced issues such as privacy violations, systemic failures, inaccurate predictions, and ethical violations.
    Joe McKendrick, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Improving transparency starts with a commitment to open communication, ethical leadership, and meaningful public engagement.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • By sincerely comforting and relying on each other, their love becomes noble.
    Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2025
  • Like the book, the show is predicated on a classic Gilded Age bargain: American heiresses fill the dwindling coffers of the British peerage; correspondingly eligible dukes and lords bestow a noble title that papers over a nouveau-riche designation.
    Elle Carroll, Vulture, 11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Jalen Coker, a second-year receiver who’s had a wonderful camp, will play Thursday.
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 19 Aug. 2025
  • The outpouring from the community has been wonderful, and everyone has been willing to help, though there isn’t much anyone can do at the moment, according to Guzauskas.
    R. Christian Smith, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Whether that’s actually true or people just like to complain more 21 years after the original’s finale is certainly up for similar debate.
    Toni Fitzgerald, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2025
  • If that’s true, then there’s no stopping Trump from federalizing the National Guard in all fifty states.
    Cristian Farias, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • By many measures, Alonso was already the greatest home run hitter in Mets history.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2025
  • There is no greater disparity in the polls than the Sooners checking in at No. 18 in the AP and being the best of the rest among the coaches who voted.
    Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Righteous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/righteous. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.

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