Riddance means the act of getting rid of something unwanted or unpleasant. When you finally clean out a cluttered closet full of broken toys and outgrown clothes, you might feel a sense of riddance, that relief of removing things you no longer need.

The word appears most often in the phrase “good riddance,” which people say when something annoying or troublesome finally goes away. If a bully transfers to another school, someone might mutter good riddance. When winter ends and spring arrives, you might think “good riddance to cold weather!” The phrase captures that feeling of satisfaction when something that's been bothering you is finally gone.

Riddance isn't used for ordinary goodbyes. You wouldn't say “good riddance” when your best friend goes home after a playdate. The word carries a sense of relief mixed with a bit of frustration, like you've been putting up with something difficult and you're genuinely happy to see it go. It's the feeling of finally throwing away uncomfortable shoes that gave you blisters or finishing a difficult task you'd been dreading.