What does unrighteous mean?
Unrighteous is an adjective meaning morally wrong, unjust, wicked, or contrary to what is right. It is commonly used to condemn actions, institutions, or treatment that violate important moral or legal principles, although “unjust” may be preferable when the criticism concerns fairness specifically. The word often has a strong religious or morally serious connotation, especially in biblical, literary, and formal contexts, but it is also used in everyday argument and commentary. Its force comes from its direct opposition to “righteous,” a word associated with moral goodness and integrity. Unrighteous conduct therefore suggests more than inconvenience or ordinary error: it is presented as fundamentally corrupt, unfair, or wicked. Although less common in neutral modern prose than words such as “unfair” or “immoral,” it remains useful for making an emphatic moral judgment.
adjectiveMorally wrong, unjust, or contrary to what is right; wicked. In some contexts, it refers broadly to people or conduct that fail to meet a moral or religious standard.
- Morally wrong, unjust, or wicked.
- In more formal or religious contexts, not righteous or godly; belonging to those who are judged wicked or unjust.
"The community condemned the committee's unrighteous treatment of the prisoners."
"The protesters condemned the government's unrighteous seizure of private property."
"The preacher warned that the unrighteous cannot expect the same forgiveness as the repentant."
Unrighteous is the moral mirror of righteous: it describes conduct that is not merely unfair, but judged to be morally wrong.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does unrighteous come from?
Unrighteous was formed in English by adding the negating prefix un- to righteous, and the negated form is recorded from medieval English. The base righteous comes from Old English rīhtwīs, associated with the ideas of right, just, and trustworthy or wise. Related English forms include right, rightful, and rightly; the prefix reverses the basic moral sense of righteousness to describe conduct that is contrary to what is right.
Related word forms
How unrighteous is actually used
The adjective is strongly evaluative and commonly carries moral or religious disapproval. In modern writing, “unjust” may sound more neutral when the focus is specifically on fairness, while “unrighteous” often suggests deeper moral wrongdoing. It is used in both British and American English.
Easily confused with unrighteous
Righteous means morally good, upright, and justified, whereas unrighteous means morally wrong, unjust, or wicked.