Usage
What does righteousness mean? Righteousness is the quality of being virtuous, honorable, or morally right. It can also refer to such behavior. Righteousness is the noun form of the adjective righteous. Being righteous means doing what is right—obeying the law or adhering to morals. Both righteous and righteousness are often used in a religious context. Example: It’s not easy to follow the path of righteousness—in fact, if an action is difficult to take, it’s probably right!
Etymology
Origin of righteousness
First recorded before 900; Middle English rightwisnes(se), Old English rihtwīsnes; equivalent to righteous + -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.
So how is it that one can’t speak righteousness?
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026
Among them, as with the Jews, generosity was not charity but, if I may, righteousness.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 21, 2025
The service heard how she had lived with beauty, goodness and righteousness.
From BBC • Dec. 17, 2025
Instead, he seems as if he’s trying to lacquer on a veneer of righteousness to some very nasty business.
From Slate • Nov. 20, 2025
I tightened my lips and straightened my purse strap on my shoulder with all the righteousness that I could muster.
From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez
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.
