unrighteous

adjective

ˌən-ˈrī-chəs How to pronounce unrighteous (audio)
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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
  1. unlawful
  2. immoral
  3. evil
  4. sinful
  5. wicked
  6. vicious
  7. vile
  8. bad
Adjective
  • Since Congress never approved that relocation, the move is unlawful, the lawsuit alleges.
    — Chiara Eisner, NPR, 3 Aug. 2026
  • When the Miami commission approved the unlawful ordinance last summer, the change went into effect immediately.
    — Tess Riski July 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
Definition of unlawful
Adjective
  • Neither Agamemnon nor Menelaus grasp that their actions toward their wives were immoral.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 29 July 2026
  • Some rabbinic readings attribute Lot’s hesitation to leave Sodom to his immoral greed and inordinate wealth.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026
Definition of immoral
Adjective
  • In July, Roku made the city even more interactive with a new brand campaign that guides users to visit six themed areas featuring humorous promo spots, including a pirate ship, a volcano and a villain’s evil lair.
    — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 3 Aug. 2026
  • A couple solid set-pieces, a lame evil corporate villain, a limp Act 1 origin story, and the perfect scene where Pepper performs open-heart surgery on Tony complete the picture.
    — EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of evil
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
Definition of sinful
Adjective
  • Ben Affleck and a Jeopardy alum are putting their wicked smarts to good use.
    — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 30 July 2026
  • Alli Logout of the punk band Special Interest and rising pop producer Margo XS join forces on a club record whose messy hedonism is matched only by its wicked sense of humor.
    — Cameron Cook, Pitchfork, 29 July 2026
Definition of wicked
Adjective
  • Several celebrities and their PR teams have denounced Hilton for his vicious public insults, including Khloe Kardashian, Miley Cyrus, and Lady Gaga, a former friend of Hilton.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The prequel details the vicious battle between former friends Princess Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) for the Iron Throne and its subsequent reverberations.
    — Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of vicious
Adjective
  • 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
  • But no amount of handouts, Hefty bags and Windex can pretty up the scene right now around Lineage, as my colleague Salvador Hernandez described this week in vivid, vile detail.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2026
Definition of vile
Adjective
  • The period of military rule has fared worse than previous civilian governments, analysts say, with armed groups increasing their footprint across the country and the Sahel.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
  • At one point, King and backup center Nick Samac had a bad exchange on a shotgun snap.
    — Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 31 July 2026
Definition of bad

Browse Nearby Words

unriddling
unrighteous
unrighteousness
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Cite this Entry

“Unrighteous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unrighteous. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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