Words of Positivity
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Righteous

adj.thoughtful, resilientformal

What it means

Morally right or acting from a strong conviction of justice.

Reach for it when praising genuine moral courage while avoiding self-satisfied posturing

Righteous anger moved the residents to demand safe drinking water.

Choose between these

6
  • everyday

    moral

    ethical significance needs neutral wording

    not when Moral does not automatically mean correct.

  • warm

    upright

    honest conduct is consistently shown

    not when Upright is calmer than righteous.

  • professional

    justified

    evidence supports the response

    not when Justification can be practical, not moral.

  • professional

    principled

    action follows declared values

    not when Principled beliefs can still be wrong.

  • formal

    just

    fairness and moral rightness are central

    not when Just usually describes an act or system.

  • literary

    virtuous

    good character is broadly established

    not when Virtuous can sound sanctimonious.

Said against

3
  • wicked
  • unjust
  • corrupt

It naturally appears in

3
  • righteous cause

    They worked peacefully for a righteous cause.

  • righteous anger

    Righteous anger sharpened her demand for accountability.

  • righteous action

    The novel asks whether righteous action can remain merciful.

Where this comes from

The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.