goody two-shoes
C1Informal, often derogatory or humorous.
Definition
Meaning
A person who is ostentatiously virtuous or who makes a smug show of behaving well.
A derogatory term for someone perceived as excessively well-behaved, moralistic, or eager to please authority figures, often implying insincerity or a lack of adventurousness.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used as a singular noun. The term originates from an 18th-century children's story about a poor girl named Margery Meanwell who was overjoyed to receive a pair of shoes, making her a symbol of excessive goodness. Modern usage is almost always critical or mocking.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage. The term is well-known in both varieties.
Connotations
Equally negative/mocking in both, though British usage may carry a slightly stronger sense of class-based disdain for pretentious moralising.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English, but remains an idiomatic expression of low-to-medium frequency in both.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] is/acts like a goody two-shoes.Don't be such a goody two-shoes.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Holier-than-thou (shares the connotation of smug virtue).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might be used informally to criticise a colleague perceived as overly compliant or keen to impress management.
Academic
Not used in formal writing. May appear in literary or cultural studies when analysing character archetypes.
Everyday
Common in informal speech, especially among younger speakers, to mock someone for being overly rule-abiding or morally smug.
Technical
Not applicable.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- She gave me a goody-two-shoes look of disapproval.
American English
- His goody-two-shoes attitude got on everyone's nerves.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Sarah is such a goody two-shoes; she always does her homework.
- Don't be a goody two-shoes—just try skipping class once!
- His reputation as the office goody two-shoes made him unpopular with his more rebellious colleagues.
- The protagonist's goody-two-shoes façade crumbled when her secret past was finally revealed.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a cartoon character with two shiny, perfect shoes, tattling on others while smiling smugly—a 'goody' showing off her 'two shoes'.
Conceptual Metaphor
GOODNESS IS CLEANLINESS/ORDER (exhibited by the pristine, paired shoes).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid literal translation ('хорошие две туфли'). Closest equivalents are 'зубрила' (for over-achiever in studies), 'примерная девочка' (for a 'good girl'), or 'ханжа' (for a hypocrite), but none capture the full mocking tone.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a compliment (it is always negative).
- Misspelling as 'goody-two-shoes' or 'goody two shoe'.
- Forgetting it is singular ('They are such goody two-shoes' is incorrect; use 'They are such a goody two-shoes').
Practice
Quiz
Which situation best describes a 'goody two-shoes'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in modern usage it is virtually always used pejoratively or mockingly to criticise someone for being ostentatiously well-behaved or morally smug.
Yes, the term is gender-neutral, though its origin is from a female character. It is commonly applied to anyone regardless of gender.
Both imply seeking approval from authority. 'Teacher's pet' is more specific to a school context and focuses on favouritism. 'Goody two-shoes' is broader, emphasising a showy, moralistic virtue that can be annoying to peers in any setting.
It functions as a singular noun, typically preceded by an article (a/the). Example: 'She's a real goody two-shoes.' Note: the plural form for multiple people is 'goody two-shoes' (e.g., 'They are all goody two-shoes'), not 'goodies two-shoes'.