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# rightness

noun (rightness — uncountable)

«rightness» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Rightness is the quality of being morally right, good or fair. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rightness/#m1)
2. Rightness is also the quality of being correct or suitable. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rightness/#m2)

### In the lessons

In ethics and religious education, people discuss the rightness or wrongness of actions, for example whether telling a lie to protect a friend is right. In formal writing it also means fit or suitable: "the rightness of the choice". Phrases: "the rightness of", "a sense of rightness", "rightness and wrongness".

### Examples

- We debated the rightness of keeping animals in zoos. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rightness/#x1)
- She was sure of the rightness of her decision. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rightness/#x2)
- (formal) The judge thought carefully about the rightness of the punishment. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rightness/#x3)
- There was a feeling of rightness when all the puzzle pieces fit. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rightness/#x4)
- Philosophers ask what gives an action its rightness. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rightness/#x5)
- He never doubted the rightness of standing up to the bully. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rightness/#x6)

### Note

Uncountable. It is a fairly formal word; in everyday speech you'd say "whether it is right". Opposite: wrongness. Related: righteousness (a church word for being good in God's eyes).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «rightness» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/rightness/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«rightness» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/rightness.html) on Mova free.