Meanings
plural riddances
- countableuncountableAn act of ridding, clearance, or removal; elimination.
And this kind of riddance is the most pleasant to listen to of all
2005, Plato, translated by Lesley Brown, Sophist, page 230c1 more example
A gentle riddance. Draw the curtains, go. Let all of his complexion choose me so.
c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene vii] - countableuncountableDeliverance, release, setting free; a relief involving getting rid of something.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe act of forcing out someone or something
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Old Englishhryding“a clearing, cleared land”
- Middle Englishriddeings
- Englishriddance
Apparently an alteration of earlier Middle English riddeings, ryddyngs, reddyngs (“clearings, clearances”), plural of riddyng, riddynge, rudyng (“clearing away, removal”), partially continuing Old English hryding (“a clearing, cleared land”), by surface analysis, rid + -ance.
More words from Middle English, Old English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Spanish deshacimiento, desfacción
- deshacimientoan act of ridding, clearance
- desfacciónan act of ridding, clearance
- desfacimientoan act of ridding, clearance
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
riddance. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/riddance
“riddance.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/riddance. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “riddance,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/riddance.
Source: riddance on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.