: affectedly or ingratiatingly good or proper
goody-goody noun

Examples of goody-goody in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Advertisement Gwen Grastorf’s embodiment of the scheming goody-goody Arsinoë is a tad stagy, but the character is still a fine foil for the quick-witted Célimène. Celia Wren, Washington Post, 4 May 2023 The Trump rule presumed these goody-goody considerations got in the way of profitability and that a retirement adviser who accommodated them couldn’t fulfill his professional responsibility to maximize his client’s return. Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 3 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'goody-goody.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of goody-goody was in 1785

Dictionary Entries Near goody-goody

Cite this Entry

“Goody-goody.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/goody-goody. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

goody-goody

adjective
ˌgu̇d-ē-ˈgu̇d-ē
: pretending to be good in order to impress people
goody-goody noun

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