on the side of the angels

adjective

Fighting for or supporting that which is good, just, or benevolent.

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Meanings

adjectiveon the side of the angels (comparative more on the side of the angels, superlative most on the side of the angels)

comparative more on the side of the angels · superlative most on the side of the angels

  1. idiomaticFighting for or supporting that which is good, just, or benevolent.

    But when it comes to the conflict between compassion and cold reason, he is on the side of the angels: […]

    2009, Mark Pallen, The Rough Guide to Evolution, Rough Guides, →ISBN
    2 more examples

    Each likewise portrays itself as on the side of the angels, as fighting the good fight against adversaries who are neither decent nor fair.

    1999, Melvyn L. Fein, The Limits of Idealism: When Good Intentions Go Bad, Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, →ISBN, page 55

    Sherlock Holmes: Oh, I may be on the side of the angels, but don't think for one second that I am one of them.

    2012 January 15, Stephen Thompson, "The Reichenbach Fall", episode 2-3 of Sherlock, 01:16:03-01:16:12
Cite this entry
APA

on the side of the angels. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20the%20side%20of%20the%20angels

MLA

“on the side of the angels.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20the%20side%20of%20the%20angels. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “on the side of the angels,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/on%20the%20side%20of%20the%20angels.

Source: on the side of the angels on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.