Word
goodness
Phoneticsgood·ness, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɡʊdnəs/
UK/ɡˈʊdnəs/
Definitions
01moral quality
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the quality of being kind, helpful, and honest.
n. the state or quality of being morally good or virtuous.
日本語:善※
“She believed in the basic goodness of people despite the difficult news.”
“The protagonist's inherent goodness serves as a foil to the cynical world in which the novel is set.”
Usage
Uncountable in this sense.
Antonyms
02nutritional value
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Cooking
n. the healthy parts of food that are good for your body.
n. the beneficial or nutritional components of a substance, particularly food.
“Steaming vegetables helps to keep all the goodness inside them.”
“The chef argued that over-processing the grains stripped away much of the natural goodness required for a balanced diet.”
Usage
Often uncountable, though sometimes used with 'all the'.
Synonyms
03showing surprise
B1 · Intermediate Informal
interj. a word you say when you are surprised, shocked, or annoyed.
interj. a euphemistic substitute for 'God' used in exclamations to express surprise, alarm, or emphasis.
“My goodness, I didn't expect to see you here today.”
“Goodness knows how they managed to finish the project on such a restrictive budget.”
Teaching tip
This is a 'polite' way to express surprise without using religious names, though it can sound slightly old-fashioned to younger speakers.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “goodness” in context.
Verb
01. believe in the goodness
“Despite everything that happened, she still believes in the goodness of people.”
verb + prep + noun
02. retain the goodness
“Steaming vegetables is the best way to retain the goodness of the nutrients.”
verb + noun
Adjective
03. innate goodness
“The story explores the innate goodness that exists within every human being.”
adj + noun
04. nutritional goodness
“This cereal is packed with nutritional goodness to start your day right.”
adj + noun
Noun
05. act of goodness
“A simple act of goodness can change someone's entire perspective on life.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
06. for goodness sake
“For goodness sake, please turn down that music so I can concentrate!”
prep + noun + prep
07. thank goodness
“Thank goodness you arrived safely; we were starting to get worried.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“Most people are good human beings who would help you if you were injured, and that goodness is precious and worth fighting for.” “A person who emanated goodness, and of course, a brilliant songwriter and performer.” Etymology
From Middle English goodnesse, godnesse, from Old English gōdnes (“goodness; virtue; kindness”), from Proto-West Germanic *gōdnassī (“goodness”), equivalent to good + -ness. Cognate with Scots guidness (“goodness”), West Frisian goedens (“goodness”), Old High German guotnessī (“goodness”), Middle High German guotnisse (“goodness”), Russian годность (godnostʹ, “suitability, fitness”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/goodness
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0