1
: the quality or state of being good
2
—used interjectionally or in phrases especially to express mild surprise or shock
oh, my goodness!
goodness knows
3
: the nutritious, flavorful, or beneficial part of something
Examples of goodness in a Sentence
Even if you don't agree, at least have the goodness to be polite!
a person of such unaffected goodness that his friends were inspired to lead better lives
Recent Examples on the Web
Tuesday sees some Women’s Nations League goodness: England are off to Belgium, while Spain vs Portugal could be lively and Germany face Scotland.
—
Nick Miller, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
The desire to memorialize through statues and buildings is often paired with the impulse to alter the truth, to construct the memories that won’t fracture a community’s sense of its implicit goodness.
—Vulture Editors, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2025
Fevers can be treated with ibuprofen and acetaminophen, thank goodness; for everything else, good luck.
—Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2025
The same day also sees the release of a triple dose of Halloween goodness in Halloween VI: The Curse of Michael Myers, Halloween H20, and Halloween: Resurrection.
—Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for goodness
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Nick Miller, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
The desire to memorialize through statues and buildings is often paired with the impulse to alter the truth, to construct the memories that won’t fracture a community’s sense of its implicit goodness.
—Vulture Editors, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2025
Fevers can be treated with ibuprofen and acetaminophen, thank goodness; for everything else, good luck.
—Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2025
The same day also sees the release of a triple dose of Halloween goodness in Halloween VI: The Curse of Michael Myers, Halloween H20, and Halloween: Resurrection.
—Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for goodness
Cite this Entry
“Goodness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/goodness. Accessed 12 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share