righteous
Americanadjective
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characterized by uprightness or morality.
a righteous observance of the law.
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morally right or justifiable.
righteous indignation.
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acting in an upright, moral way; virtuous.
a righteous and godly person.
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Slang. absolutely genuine or wonderful.
some righteous playing by a jazz great.
noun
adjective
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characterized by, proceeding from, or in accordance with accepted standards of morality, justice, or uprightness; virtuous
a righteous man
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( as collective noun ; preceded by the )
the righteous
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morally justifiable or right, esp from one's own point of view
righteous indignation
Usage
What does righteous mean? Righteous is an adjective that means virtuous, honorable, or morally right. Being righteous means doing what is right—obeying the law or adhering to morals. It is often used in a religious context. Example: It’s not easy to engage in righteous behavior—in fact, if an action is difficult to take, it’s probably right!
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of righteous
First recorded before 900; earlier rightwos, rightwis (remodeled with -ous ), Middle English; Old English rihtwīs; see right, wise 2
Explanation
Do you consider yourself a moral person, who tries to do good and be good? If the answer is yes, you are righteous — in the right. Being righteous literally means to be right, especially in a moral way. Religious people often talk about being righteous. In their view, the righteous person not only does the right thing for other people but also follows the laws of their religion. Heroes like Martin Luther King are often called righteous. On the other hand, this word can be a little negative. If you call someone self-righteous, it means they're a little too sure they're right and better than other people.
Vocabulary lists containing righteous
Franklin D. Roosevelt, "A Date That Will Live In Infamy" (1941)
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Donald Trump Inauguration Address- January 20, 2017
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"The Odyssey" by Homer, Books 14–18
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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.
It was a righteous display of power from a sport that’s rich with extraordinary performances, still gets an occasional knock, and likely will forever.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
The famous Buddhist Angulimala Sutta tells a story of a serial killer who is redeemed by the Buddha and becomes a righteous monk.
From Slate ● Jul. 10, 2026
Still, it’s possible — with effort — to register the film’s themes about duty, inheritance, courage and righteous disobedience.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026
Vance, a longtime critic of European migration policies, called for "righteous anger" in response to the case.
From Barron's ● Jun. 5, 2026
You don’t notice it as much when cops dress like soldiers because real soldiers carry themselves kind of like cops—the buttoned-up style, that righteous sort of edge.
From "X: A Novel" by Ilyasah Shabazz
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.
