Word
righteousness
Phoneticsright·eous·ness, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɹaɪtʃəsnəs/
UK/ɹˈaɪtʃəsnəs/
Definitions
01moral goodness
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Formal
n. the quality of being morally right and good.
n. the quality or state of being morally upright, virtuous, or justifiable.
“He was a man of great righteousness who always tried to help the poor.”
“The leader's reputation for righteousness made it difficult for his opponents to find any personal scandals to use against him.”
Usage
Uncountable in this general moral sense.
Antonyms
02religious holiness
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Religion Formal
n. living in a way that follows God's laws or religious rules.
n. conformity of life and conduct to divine law or religious principles.
“The priest spoke about the path to righteousness through prayer and fasting.”
“In many theological traditions, righteousness is viewed not just as human effort but as a state of grace granted by the divine.”
Teaching tip
This sense is very common in scripture and religious sermons but rare in everyday conversation.
Antonyms
03a righteous act
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Archaic · Literary
n. a specific action that is morally good or right.
n. a specific act or instance of being righteous.
“The old stories are full of the righteousnesses of the saints.”
“The text enumerates the various righteousnesses required of a citizen, from paying taxes to defending the city.”
Usage
Used as a countable noun in this sense, though this is rare in modern English.
Teaching tip
Modern speakers almost always use the uncountable form; the plural 'righteousnesses' sounds very old-fashioned.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“They chose instead to argue that abolition would confirm Britain’s superior moral righteousness.” “For someone in Macaulay’s position, zeal and righteousness were not character flaws, but the only adequate response to a system that defined her out of legitimate political speech.” Etymology
From earlier rightwiseness, from Middle English rightwisnes, from Old English rihtwīsnes (“justice”), equivalent to righteous + -ness.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- 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.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL 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: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/righteousness