Pick the common, formal word "virtuous" when you want to describe a good person with a good heart and many wholesome qualities, whether you're being serious or sarcastic.

The word can sound holy or religious, since the idea of virtues comes up a lot in religious and theological texts. If that's not the mood you're going for, pick a synonym like "ethical," "wholesome," "principled," or "good-hearted," or just be more specific with a word like "honest," "patient," "generous," "scrupulous," or "compassionate." 

We most often apply it to people and groups: "a virtuous woman," "these virtuous leaders," "The company is eager to seem virtuous."

But we can also talk about virtuous behavior, decisions, lifestyles, etc.

Lastly, have you noticed how often we talk about vicious circles and cycles? (Those are situations in which bad effects fuel themselves, making things worse and worse; for example, when you're overweight, you find it uncomfortable to exercise, so you don't, which worsens your weight problem.) Well, the reverse is a virtuous cycle or circle, where good effects fuel themselves, making things better and better. For example, if you feel strong, you find it joyful to exercise, so you do, which improves your strength even more. Some writers use quotation marks around the phrases "vicious circle" and "vicious cycle," but I recommend leaving them off and just writing things like this: "We feed the squirrels, so they flounce around our yard, delighting us with their cuteness, which reminds us to feed them, and it's a whole virtuous circle."

"I watch [the washing machine]... The water turns gray and I feel virtuous because of all the dirt that's coming out. It's as if I myself am doing this just by looking." 
   — Margaret Atwood, Cat's Eye, 1988

"It is easy to find a logical and virtuous reason for not doing what you don't want to do."
   — John Steinbeck, East of Eden, 1952

has this page helped you understand "virtuous"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "virtuous" without saying "good" or "wholesome."

try it out:

Here's my favorite example of a virtuous circle. When you feel confident in your writing skills, you choose to write more often, which improves your skills and your confidence even more.

Here's another wonderful example:

"Netflix has created a 'virtuous cycle' with quality original shows and a best-in-class streaming platform that attracts and retains subscribers. Great programming and technology have led to high customer satisfaction, which translates to low subscriber churn, word-of-mouth marketing and a positive reputation with creative talent."
   —Patrick Seitz, Investor's Business Daily, 16 December 2015

With these examples in mind, talk about a virtuous circle you've noticed or appreciated in your own life, or one that you'd love to get in on.

If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.)

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game for March: it's the Inkhorn Stinkhorn!

It’s inspired by the Twofer Goofer, created by Collin Waldoch, in which you're given a circumlocutory clue, like "An eater with an excessive appetite for clothes fasteners," and you provide a rhyming answer, in this case "button glutton." You're then treated to an AI-generated rendering of the goofy concept you just named. In general in the Twofer Goofer, the words are straightforward and the AI art is lovely.

But here in the Inkhorn Stinkhorn, the words are pedantic and the AI art is atrocious. Enjoy! 

Try this one today: Name a two-word rhyming phrase that means "an extremely aggressive believer in small nuggets of wood for heating homes."

Clue #1: To reveal the first letter of each word, highlight the following text… p_____ z_____

Clue #2: To reveal one of the words, highlight the following text… pellet z_____

For the answer, scroll all the way down!

review this word:

1. The precise opposite of VIRTUOUS is VICIOUS. But a very close opposite of VIRTUOUS is

A. SICK.
B. ROTTED.
C. DEPRAVED.

2. In a study examining charities, Noel Hyndman and Danielle McConville discuss how to create a virtuous circle of accountability and trust, "where each _____ the other."

A. equates with
B. reinforces
C. negates

Answers to the review questions: 1. C 2. B Answer to the game question: Pellet zealot.

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog: On vocabulary...       36 ways to study words.       Why we forget words, & how to remember them.       How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. On writing...       How to improve any sentence.       How to motivate our kids to write.       How to stop procrastinating and start writing.       How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count. From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.