Righteous
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.
Words to choose between 6
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| warm | |
| professional | |
| formal |
|
| literary |
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everyday
Fits when ethical significance needs neutral wording
Careful Moral does not automatically mean correct.
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warm
Fits when honest conduct is consistently shown
Careful Upright is calmer than righteous.
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professional
Fits when evidence supports the response
Careful Justification can be practical, not moral.
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professional
Fits when action follows declared values
Careful Principled beliefs can still be wrong.
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formal
Fits when fairness and moral rightness are central
Careful Just usually describes an act or system.
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literary
Fits when good character is broadly established
Careful Virtuous can sound sanctimonious.
Opposites 3
- wicked
- unjust
- corrupt
Common phrases 3
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righteous cause
They worked peacefully for a righteous cause.
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righteous anger
Righteous anger sharpened her demand for accountability.
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righteous action
The novel asks whether righteous action can remain merciful.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Neskaya, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Updated