Unrighteousness

Unrighteousness is the state or quality of not being righteous. The term derives from un- plus righteousness, with righteousness tracing to Latin iustitia via Old English rīhtwisnes. In everyday use, it denotes conduct that falls short of a defined moral standard.

In religious thought, unrighteousness commonly refers to actions, dispositions, or life choices judged contrary to divine or transcendent standards of virtue. In Christianity, terms such as unrighteous and the unrighteous appear in exhortations to eschew sin, hypocrisy, and immoral behavior; in Judaism and Islam, similar notions link moral conduct to obedience, justice, and compassion. While definitions vary, the core idea is a deviation from perceived right order or divine will. Some writers distinguish between intentional sin and inadvertent fault, though that distinction is not universal.

Outside religious discourse, unrighteousness is used to describe behavior that violates ethical norms or justice within a community. It can encompass corruption, deceit, exploitation, or other forms of harm that offend collective standards, whether or not there is a formal legal violation. Philosophers differ on whether righteousness is an objective standard, a rational criterion, or a social construction, which in turn affects how they classify actions as unrighteous.

Because standards of righteousness differ across cultures and eras, what counts as unrighteous can change. The term functions mainly as a normative label, signaling disapproval of conduct believed to violate essential moral or religious ideals.