Virtuous

What it looks like

• Tells the truth, treats people fairly and helps where they can, day after day, not only in big moments.
• Shows self-control: does not take more than their share, or say the cruel thing that would be easy to say.
• Does the right thing when there is nobody to see it or praise it.

Fits when a pattern of conduct demonstrates strong moral goodness

Not when you have observed only competence, good manners, or one generous act

How to say it

Replace the brackets with what the person actually did.

There is no resume line for this one: it is a word for a eulogy, a speech, a nomination or a story, and on a resume or in most references it sounds grand or even smug. Name the specific qualities instead, such as honest, fair or generous.

• [Name] is a person of real virtue, in small things as well as large: over [period] they [dealt honestly, gave their time or treated everyone fairly] without ever drawing attention to it.

  Copy

• [Name] sets a fine example to classmates: they tell the truth, share fairly and are kind when no one is watching.

  Copy

• Nobody could remember her doing anything remarkable. But for thirty years the neighbors left their keys with her, and every child on the street knew whose door to knock on.

  Copy