Virtuous

adj.thoughtful, kindformal

What it means

Consistently guided by morally good principles.

Reach for it when making a serious judgment about ethical character or conduct

The novel's virtuous mayor refuses the bribe but also admits the policy that enabled it.

playful
saintly
when extraordinary patience or goodness is praised with affectionate exaggeration
not when Saintly is religious and hyperbolic, so it can make ordinary decency sound unreal.
everyday
good
when simple moral approval will sound most sincere
not when Good is too broad to explain what makes the conduct admirable.
professional
ethical
when conduct follows defensible standards in work or public life
not when Ethical is less personal and may refer to a rule-compliant choice rather than overall character.
professional
principled
when stable standards guide difficult choices
not when Principled can also describe rigid adherence to a questionable principle.
formal
honorable
when integrity, fairness, and keeping one's word are central
not when Honorable stresses reputation and duty more than compassion.
formal
moral
when right and wrong are being judged directly
not when Moral can be neutral, as in a moral question, and may sound preachy as personal praise.
literary
righteous
when moral rightness carries religious or emphatic force
not when Righteous often sounds self-satisfied or sectarian in secular praise.
literary
upright
when honesty and respectable character deserve traditional praise
not when Upright is old-fashioned and narrower than the full range of virtues.

virtuous person
The story lets a virtuous person make a costly mistake without excusing it.
virtuous conduct
Virtuous conduct becomes credible when it continues without applause.
seem virtuous
A public promise may seem virtuous while shifting the burden onto unseen workers.

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