Rectitude
n.thoughtful, kindformal
What it means
Steadfast moral honesty and correctness of conduct.
Reach for it when praising principled behavior in elevated, serious prose
Her rectitude was clearest when she disclosed the error before anyone noticed it.
Choose between these
6- everyday
truthfulness is the central virtue
not when Honesty is only one part.
- warm
ordinary humane conduct is praised
not when Decency is a gentler standard.
- professional
actions consistently match principles
not when Integrity is broader and more current.
- formal
financial or public ethics are scrutinized
not when Probity is highly institutional.
- literary
righteousness
moral correctness is strongly asserted
not when Righteousness can sound self-satisfied.
- literary
moral reliability deserves traditional language
not when Uprightness can sound old-fashioned.
Said against
3- corruption
- dishonesty
- depravity
It naturally appears in
3- moral rectitude
Moral rectitude guided his handling of public funds.
- personal rectitude
Her personal rectitude earned trust across factions.
- known for rectitude
The judge was known for rectitude and patience.
Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English noun sense: moral uprightness opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.