Definition of unrighteousnext
as in unlawful
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable an unrighteous act that cannot go unpunished by the congregation

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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 unrighteous Ivey recently described the LGBTQ community as unrighteous in a live stream from his Instagram account. Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 31 Mar. 2026 Ancient sacred writings teach us to avoid using unrighteous means to oppose the unrighteous demands of wicked rulers. Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 24 Feb. 2026 Spears writes of these unrighteous men matter-of-factly, avoiding the ad hominem attack, except for an occasional delicious arrow, including a recollection of the eternally white Timberlake meeting one of his rap heroes. Stephen Rodrick, Variety, 24 Oct. 2023 Christ himself suffered on account of sins, once for all, the righteous one on behalf of the unrighteous. Olivia Muenter, Woman's Day, 8 Feb. 2023 Many people, after all, think that the righteous should prosper and the unrighteous not. Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 27 July 2021 He’s gone through buzzard-hot streaks and some slumps, at times taking wholly unrighteous shots, and none of that matters to the shooting guard. Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 23 Apr. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unrighteous
Adjective
  • He is charged with official misconduct in the first degree, which is punishable by up to 12 months behind bars, if convicted, and unlawful access to a computer in the fourth degree, which carries a maximum sentence of 90 days.
    Josh Wood, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Investigators accused him of obstruction of justice, unlawful contracting and, among other things, claiming $127,630 in expenses linked to fictitious missions and plane tickets for nearly a dozen trips.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • What’s so immoral about a goal scored accidentally with a hand or arm anyway?
    Graham Scott, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • He was branded a heretic, in part for preaching that the nobility were immoral and so was nobility itself.
    Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • In our conversations, his usual framing was about good and evil, not catastrophically warped thinking.
    Ian Parker, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Well, everyone knows Ebenezer Scrooge was an evil, wealthy miser who hated Christmas.
    Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 14 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • My prescribed low-carb, caffeine-free diet sounded horrifying on paper, but my sinful pleasures were replaced with a tasty, high-quality, and healthy alternative that left me more energized.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
  • Critics also have challenged the report’s characterization of cases involving women, contending these were consensual affairs that were sinful but not abusive.
    ABC News, ABC News, 25 June 2026
Adjective
  • After crash landing on the dark world directly onto the homing beacon, EO and his crazy crew are apprehended by a gang of warrior henchmen and hauled into the throne room to face the wicked alien ruler who is imprisoned in anger and hate.
    Jeff Spry, Space.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • Our only recent point of reference for a 'flying' car is the BYD Yangwang U9 which managed a 20-ft leap over spikes last year, enabled by a wicked active suspension system.
    Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 14 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • The former is a liberal democracy, the latter a vicious dictatorship whose rulers kill their own people to stay in power.
    Max Boot, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Even fluffy Alana looks at him strangely — in heat and vicious.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Disgusted that any adult would ever consider exploiting a child in such a vile and predatory way.
    Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • His tenure came to an end when video surfaced of a drunken Galliano berating other customers at a Paris bar with vile antisemitic insults.
    Greg Evans, Deadline, 1 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Jeffrey Katzenberg, then a studio executive at Paramount Pictures, hand-picked the Happy Days star for the job, but at the time, Winkler had a bad feeling about accepting it.
    Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
  • How many of us make things worse More seasoned Internet users—a fair number who read this site—are quick to dismiss the attack.
    Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Unrighteous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unrighteous. Accessed 17 Sep. 2026.

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