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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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
  • Chrinos was charged with carrying a rifle outside a home or business, three counts of unlawful transportation of a firearm, three counts of unregistered firearms and three counts of unregistered ammunition, DHS said.
    — Kyla Guilfoil, NBC news, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The department also wants to strengthen corporate oversight and deter unlawful applications.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026
Adjective
  • Hollywood called out as immoral as studio puts paying viewers in charge of the screen.
    — , FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Convince people that an innocent person represents an existential threat, furnish them with a frightening conspiracy theory about an immoral enemy, and some may become willing to kill.
    — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 27 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Americans are up in arms about the much broader graft practiced by much of the political class, not just by its evil faux-king.
    — Larry Wilson, Daily News, 7 Nov. 2026
  • Some stories can harden moral perception, of course, pushing us to dichotomize the purely good and the purely evil, as in the moral pornography of superhero comics and revenge flicks.
    — Paul Bloom, New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2026
Adjective
  • Judaism teaches that human beings are not inherently sinful, destructive or a detriment to the world.
    — Meir Moscowitz, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Adjective
  • Mischa Glooshkoff, aka Michael Graves, has light brown curls, a wicked grin, and a wiry frame—perfect casting for the grand boulevardier who would lead my naïve young father astray.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Oct. 2026
  • There’s also the problem of Angelique’s wicked stepmother, Argan’s gold-digging second wife, Beline.
    — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • For the moment, Trump’s vicious bigotry has alienated most independent voters and even some Republicans.
    — David Yassky, New York Daily News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Outside observers described his vicious consolidation of power as an attempt to compensate for his youth, his limited political experience, and his complete lack of a military background.
    — Jieun Baek, Foreign Affairs, 30 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Police quickly identified her husband as the prime suspect, but what could drive a seemingly normal man to perform such a vile act?
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Ilhan Omar turns her defense over to a vile purveyor of hate.
    — , FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • One option for overhauling the committee, according to people familiar with the situation, is broadening its focus beyond China to explore issues related to other bad foreign actors.
    — Nicholas Wu, semafor.com, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Phillips caught a bad break when her approach to the green hit a tree branch on its upward flight and dropped 20 yards short of the green.
    — Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Unrighteous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unrighteous. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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