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
Related Words
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
- supergoodness noun
Etymology
Origin of goodness
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English gōdnes; 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.
He, thank goodness, didn’t have the same attitude as I did.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026
"I think it's just a reminder to take every opportunity to tell people turn the heat down, for goodness sake, we can't take these things for granted."
From BBC • Feb. 25, 2026
The fatty tissue never became reinfected, thank goodness, though it also didn’t heal back into a straight line.
From Slate • Feb. 22, 2026
“You’re just like, thinking about goodness in the world a lot, and then being like, ‘Is this good what I’m doing?
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026
“Yes. Thank goodness Old Timothy made sure no one was harmed.”
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
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.
