What does riddance mean?
Riddance means the act of getting rid of something or someone, or the state of being freed from an unwanted presence. Its central idea is separation or release: a difficult situation is gone, an unwelcome person has departed, or an obsolete burden has been removed. Because the word commonly describes the departure of something unwelcome, it often carries a faintly dismissive or satisfied tone. The familiar phrase “good riddance” expresses relief or approval that someone or something has left, often with the added implication that the departing person or thing was troublesome. Riddance is chiefly a formal or literary noun and is much less common than ordinary alternatives such as “removal,” “departure,” or “elimination.” Nevertheless, it gives concise, expressive language to the idea of being rid of something, while “good riddance” remains especially memorable for communicating affectionate, humorous disapproval.
nounThe act or fact of getting rid of something or someone, especially something unwelcome. In the expression “good riddance,” it conveys that the departure or removal of a person or thing is welcome.
- The act or fact of getting rid of or being freed from a person, thing, or condition, especially an unwelcome one.
"The company welcomed the departure of its ineffective manager as a good riddance."
"Everyone in the office breathed a sigh of relief at the corrupt official’s good riddance."
"The removal of the abandoned warehouse was a welcome riddance from the town council."
The plural is grammatically possible but rarely used in modern English, because “riddance” occurs chiefly in singular constructions such as “good riddance.”
"The reorganization was welcomed as a riddance from years of administrative confusion."
“Good riddance” may be one of the most satisfying phrases in English: it turns someone’s departure into a reason for celebration.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does riddance come from?
English “riddance” was formed from “rid,” meaning “to clear” or “to get rid of,” together with the suffix “-ance.” Its earliest sense was the state of being rid of something, from which the modern emphasis on removal and release developed. The expression “good riddance” later became established as a dismissive farewell to someone or something unwelcome.
How riddance is actually used
The noun is relatively uncommon in modern English apart from the established expression “good riddance.” It often implies that what is removed is unwelcome, although the phrase “a welcome riddance” expresses approval of the removal rather than displeasure toward what is removed.