GOODNESS

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does goodness mean? 

• GOODNESS (noun)
  The noun GOODNESS has 2 senses:

1. that which is pleasing or valuable or useful

2. moral excellence or admirableness

  Familiarity information: GOODNESS used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• GOODNESS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

That which is pleasing or valuable or useful

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

good; goodness

Context example:

among the highest goods of all are happiness and self-realization

Hypernyms ("goodness" is a kind of...):

quality (an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "goodness"):

worthiness (the quality or state of having merit or value)

desirability; desirableness (the quality of being worthy of desiring)

benefit; welfare (something that aids or promotes well-being)

better (something superior in quality or condition or effect)

better (the superior one of two alternatives)

optimum (most favorable conditions or greatest degree or amount possible under given circumstances)

soundness; wisdom; wiseness (the quality of being prudent and sensible)

Antonym:

badness (that which is below standard or expectations as of ethics or decency)

Derivation:

good (promoting or enhancing well-being)

good (having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified)

good (tending to promote physical well-being; beneficial to health)

good (appealing to the mind)

good (most suitable or right for a particular purpose)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Moral excellence or admirableness

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

good; goodness

Context example:

there is much good to be found in people

Hypernyms ("goodness" is a kind of...):

morality (concern with the distinction between good and evil or right and wrong; right or good conduct)

Attribute:

good (morally admirable)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "goodness"):

kindness (the quality of being warmhearted and considerate and humane and sympathetic)

beneficence (the quality of being kind or helpful or generous)

benignancy; benignity; graciousness (the quality of being kind and gentle)

moral excellence; virtue; virtuousness (the quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong)

virtue (a particular moral excellence)

saintliness (the quality of resembling a saint)

summum bonum (the supreme good in which all moral values are included or from which they are derived)

Antonym:

evilness (the quality of being morally wrong in principle or practice)

Derivation:

good (morally admirable)

good (deserving of esteem and respect)

good (of moral excellence)

 Context examples 

Have the goodness, if you please, to set him right before the assembled school.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Venus expresses her most loving qualities in Pisces, and because Pisces is a water sign like yours, Cancer, you will easily absorb the goodness of Venus and the transiting moon.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

"My goodness!—if I ain't all tired a'ready!" she panted.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

It's like Grandpa to find out all about him without letting him know, and to tell all his goodness to others, so that they might like him.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Gentlemen, have the goodness to set the ladies the example.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

“You have already imperilled the whole success of our expedition. Might I beg that you would have the goodness to sit down upon one of those boxes, and not to interfere?”

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“What? for goodness’ sake,” Maud demanded.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

God bless him for all his goodness to poor dear Mina and me.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Thank goodness, they are all safe under lock and key.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“Alas!” said she. How shall I ever again believe in human goodness?

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)