Meaning & use
good tidings
Last updated
Meaning
nounpluralliteraryold-fashioned
Good news, especially news that brings happiness or hope.
Grammar: Always plural; it takes a plural verb: good tidings are welcome.
Patterns
- good tidings
- good tidings of something
- bring good tidings
- spread good tidings
The messenger arrived with good tidings from the capital.
The choir sang of good tidings and peace on earth.
She hurried home to share the good tidings with her family.
Common combinations
- bring good tidings
- The letter brought good tidings of a safe return.
- good tidings of great joy
- The carol speaks of good tidings of great joy.
- spread good tidings
- Volunteers went door to door to spread good tidings.
- tidings of something
- They waited for tidings of the missing ship.
Synonyms and how they differ
- good news
- The plain everyday equivalent; use it in normal conversation, and save 'good tidings' for literary or religious writing.
- glad tidings
- An equally old-fashioned variant that emphasizes joy; it appears in the same kinds of formal or biblical contexts.
Opposites
Word family
- tiding noun
- Rare singular form meaning a piece of news; the plural 'tidings' is the usual form.
Commonly confused: good tidings or tidings?
good tidings vs tidings
On its own it means simply 'news', which can be good or bad; 'good tidings' specifies that the news is welcome.
Practice
In the old carol, the angels announce good ______ of great joy.
Choose one answer.
The fixed phrase uses the plural noun 'tidings'. The singular 'tiding' is very rare and does not fit this set expression.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “good tidings”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.