RIGHTEOUS Synonyms: 271 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

righteous

adjective

ˈrī-chəs

Definition of righteous

as in honorable

conforming to a high standard of morality or virtue a righteous man can be trusted to act honorably regardless of the circumstances

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in honest

following the accepted rules of moral conduct righteous behavior is its own reward

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in excellent

slang of the very best kind a nightspot that's a dependable venue for righteous jazz

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Amateur humiliation content has become widespread on the internet, giving Americans more opportunities than ever to indulge in gleeful disgust or righteous outrage. — Daniel Lachance, The Conversation, 21 Sep. 2026 But in the brave heart of this fictional protagonist, there lurks a righteous threshing machine, ripe for a Great Rebellion in writer-director Paul Greengrass’ latest feature. — Michael Phillips, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026 In hip-hop and other genres, producers were using snippets of other people’s records; courts often ruled that this was a form of theft, although hip-hop fans tended to see it as righteous theft. — Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 Citizen, published two months after Brown’s killing, seemed to channel that righteous fury. — Charles Finch, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for righteous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for righteous

Adjective

Central to the exhibition is the tension between the honorable and the immoral, the appealing and the revolting.

— News Desk, Artforum, 12 Oct. 2026
Dealing with the British, his Tenzing is scrupulous and honorable, but don’t confuse that with subservience.

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of honorable

Adjective

Jones turned in a yeoman's effort, going 22-35 for 155 passing yards and two touchdowns while also keeping the Longhorn defense honest with his legs.

— Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
In McDonnell, his supporters say, the mayor has an honest and principled leader who has managed to steady a department beset by low morale, dwindling staffing levels and aging facilities.

— Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of honest

Adjective

Williams aims to help build a county government that works for everyday people by lowering the cost of living, delivering excellent county services and protecting fundamental rights.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Oct. 2026
Nikko Remigio’s reputation as a return man isn’t splashy plays, but rather excellent ball security.

— Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of excellent

Adjective

Cringe names our ethical recognition of the stakes of emptying out these words.

— Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
But Craig Holman, a lobbyist with the government accountability nonprofit advocacy group Public Citizen, told the AP that Marshall’s actions raised ethical red flags.

— Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of ethical

Adjective

In the cursed days of auto-sync, pre-mixed sets, and the celebrity spinner, few have done as much to defend the noble art of the DJ as Felix Manuel, aka Djrum, a selector who combines galactically expansive taste with equally vast technical skill.

— Ben Cardew, Pitchfork, 17 Oct. 2026
They are fueled by the noble goal of encouraging healthy habits but run the risk of feeling accusatory, rendering the subject unbroachable.

— Will Boyd, Baltimore Sun, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of noble

Adjective

An invite-only Rocket Variant replaces standard features with a single-seat configuration and perimeter thrusters for true flight, rendering it non-road-legal.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
The counter-argument that these groups already get the same knowledge from Iran, which gets it from China, Russia, and North Korea, is largely true.

— Stephen Messer, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of true

Browse Nearby Words

righted

righteous

righteously

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Righteous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/righteous. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of righteous

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Synonyms of righteous

adjective

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