goodness
Americannoun
-
the state or quality of being good.
- Antonyms:
- evil
-
moral excellence; virtue.
-
kindly feeling; kindness; generosity.
- Synonyms:
- humanity, benignity, benevolence
-
excellence of quality.
goodness of workmanship.
-
the best part of anything; essential property; strength.
-
a euphemism for God.
Thank goodness!
interjection
noun
-
the state or quality of being good
-
generosity; kindness
-
moral excellence; piety; virtue
interjection
Synonym Usage
Goodness, morality, virtue refer to qualities of character or conduct that entitle the possessor to approval and esteem. Goodness is the simple word for the general quality recognized in character or conduct: Many could tell of her goodness and kindness. Morality implies conformity to the recognized standards of right conduct: a citizen of the highest morality. Virtue is a rather formal word, and suggests usually goodness that is consciously or steadily maintained, often in spite of temptations or evil influences: of unassailable virtue; firm and of unwavering virtue.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of goodness
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English gōdnes; see good, -ness
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Eventually Her Majesty said, 'oh for goodness sake, just go'. So I ran through to the library and I was watching it."
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
“I think you’re trying to fill a hole that can’t be filled unless it’s filled with goodness, some kind of spirituality, not saying religion,” he explained to ABC News in 2013.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
"I miss believing in the goodness of humanity."
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
Still, she said, sometimes, “I look around and think, ‘Oh goodness, how long can we do this?’”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
All loved him for his goodness and admired him for his nobility, but they had no idea that he intended to try to kill the Minotaur.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
