good riddance
Good riddance (interjection) means Said with relief when someone or something unwanted has finally gone. Example: “He has resigned at last. Good riddance.”
How to Use Good riddance
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishI am glad that has gone.
Blunt and unmistakably hostile when applied to a person, so it belongs in speech among friends rather than in professional writing.
The fuller form is 'good riddance to bad rubbish', which intensifies the contempt.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
He has resigned at last. _____.
Etymology
From riddance, the act of getting rid of something, from the verb rid; the phrase is recorded in English from the sixteenth century.
Synonyms
View more →Rhymes for good riddance
See all rhymes for good riddance →Frequently Asked Questions
Is it rude to say good riddance?
Yes, deliberately so. It tells the listener you are pleased the person or thing has gone, which makes it fine as a joke among friends but insulting if the subject can hear you or is being mourned by others.
Where does the phrase 'good riddance to bad rubbish' come from?
It is an intensified version of good riddance that developed in English speech, with rubbish standing for the unwanted thing being got rid of. The shorter good riddance is the older of the two.