virtuous
adjective
vir·tu·ous
ˈvər-chə-wəs 
ˈvərch-wəs
2
: chaste
3
virtuously
adverb
virtuousness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of virtuous in a Sentence
In a kind of virtuous circle, the "second tier" schools got better as applications rose and they could become choosier in assembling a class—which in turn raised the quality of the whole experience on campus and made the school more attractive to both topflight professors and the next wave of applicants.
—
Nancy Gibbs et al., Time, 21 Aug. 2006
In its quest to create ice cream as voluptuous as butter and as virtuous as broccoli, the ice cream industry has probed the depths of the Arctic Ocean, studied the intimate structures of algae and foisted numerous failures on the American public.
—Julia Moskin, New York Times, 26 July 2006
Children born into high-income households become part of a virtuous circle of success. Parents with university degrees tend to earn more, set higher educational goals for their children, and invest more time in the children's schooling than parents who have a high-school education or less.
—Laura D'Andrea Tyson, BusinessWeek, 7 July 2003
We redefined virtue as health. And considering the probable state of our souls, this was not a bad move. By relocating the seat of virtue from the soul to the pecs, the abs and the coronary arteries, we may not have become the most virtuous people on earth, but we surely became the most desperate for grace. We spend $5 billion a year on our health-club memberships, $2 billion on vitamins, nearly $1 billion on home exercise equipment, and $6 billion on sneakers to wear out on our treadmills and StairMasters.
—Barbara Ehrenreich, Utne Reader, May/June 1992
She felt that she had made a virtuous decision by donating the money to charity.
virtuous behavior is its own reward
Nancy Gibbs et al., Time, 21 Aug. 2006
In its quest to create ice cream as voluptuous as butter and as virtuous as broccoli, the ice cream industry has probed the depths of the Arctic Ocean, studied the intimate structures of algae and foisted numerous failures on the American public.
—Julia Moskin, New York Times, 26 July 2006
Children born into high-income households become part of a virtuous circle of success. Parents with university degrees tend to earn more, set higher educational goals for their children, and invest more time in the children's schooling than parents who have a high-school education or less.
—Laura D'Andrea Tyson, BusinessWeek, 7 July 2003
We redefined virtue as health. And considering the probable state of our souls, this was not a bad move. By relocating the seat of virtue from the soul to the pecs, the abs and the coronary arteries, we may not have become the most virtuous people on earth, but we surely became the most desperate for grace. We spend $5 billion a year on our health-club memberships, $2 billion on vitamins, nearly $1 billion on home exercise equipment, and $6 billion on sneakers to wear out on our treadmills and StairMasters.
—Barbara Ehrenreich, Utne Reader, May/June 1992
She felt that she had made a virtuous decision by donating the money to charity.
virtuous behavior is its own reward
Recent Examples on the Web
Maybe their sand castles can’t hold back the onrushing tide of NIL and unlimited transfers and the age of entitlement and the professionalization of a once virtuous endeavor and the demise of the educational mission.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Apr. 2024
While the fact that sleep benefits athletic performance is already well documented, evidence is also adding up that moving more—both as a single session and a regular practice—can improve your rest, making the two represent quite the virtuous two-way cycle.
—Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 27 Mar. 2024
The final girl is usually a virtuous virgin—hence the palate of white lace.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 13 Mar. 2024
Curated by the virtuous local DJ collective Hast du Feuer, Initialize offered some of the most inspired rhythm music being made right now, old and new, near and far — techno, trap, house, club, go-go, drum-and-bass, electro and more — on three separate dance floors.
—Chris Richards, Washington Post, 25 Feb. 2024
While the strong ethical concepts provide a virtuous compass for AI development, the concepts alone can leave much open to interpretation.
—Muddu Sudhakar, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024
Each of these six elements can help reinforce each other, and there is a virtuous cycle that could significantly improve progress.
—Kweilin Ellingrud, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
There’s a widespread disregard for decency and decorum among our modern political class, which appears incapable of providing a model of virtuous behavior for the broader public to emulate.
—Guy Denton, National Review, 20 Jan. 2024
The rapid migration of people and businesses to Texas has led to a virtuous cycle of job creation in construction, restaurants and other industries without direct ties to banking.
—Shelly Hagan, Fortune, 28 Dec. 2023
Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 Apr. 2024
While the fact that sleep benefits athletic performance is already well documented, evidence is also adding up that moving more—both as a single session and a regular practice—can improve your rest, making the two represent quite the virtuous two-way cycle.
—Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 27 Mar. 2024
The final girl is usually a virtuous virgin—hence the palate of white lace.
—Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 13 Mar. 2024
Curated by the virtuous local DJ collective Hast du Feuer, Initialize offered some of the most inspired rhythm music being made right now, old and new, near and far — techno, trap, house, club, go-go, drum-and-bass, electro and more — on three separate dance floors.
—Chris Richards, Washington Post, 25 Feb. 2024
While the strong ethical concepts provide a virtuous compass for AI development, the concepts alone can leave much open to interpretation.
—Muddu Sudhakar, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024
Each of these six elements can help reinforce each other, and there is a virtuous cycle that could significantly improve progress.
—Kweilin Ellingrud, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
There’s a widespread disregard for decency and decorum among our modern political class, which appears incapable of providing a model of virtuous behavior for the broader public to emulate.
—Guy Denton, National Review, 20 Jan. 2024
The rapid migration of people and businesses to Texas has led to a virtuous cycle of job creation in construction, restaurants and other industries without direct ties to banking.
—Shelly Hagan, Fortune, 28 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'virtuous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Dictionary Entries Near virtuous
Cite this Entry
“Virtuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/virtuous. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
virtuous
adjective
vir·tu·ous
ˈvərch-(ə-)wəs
: having or showing moral virtue
virtuously
adverb
virtuousness
noun
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