morale

noun

mo·​rale mə-ˈral 

1

: moral principles, teachings, or conduct

2

a

: the mental and emotional condition (as of enthusiasm, confidence, or loyalty) of an individual or group with regard to the function or tasks at hand

The team's morale is high.

b

: a sense of common purpose with respect to a group : esprit de corps

The ship's morale improved after two days of shore leave.

3

: the level of individual psychological well-being based on such factors as a sense of purpose and confidence in the future

The failure of his play did not affect his morale.

Examples of morale in a Sentence

The team is playing well and their morale is high.

The President's speech boosted the morale of the troops.

Recent Examples on the Web

This cycle of reactionary leadership not only stifles innovation but also erodes trust and morale within organizations. —Glenn Llopis, Forbes.com, 13 Sep. 2025

Making this distinction prevents overengineering and protects morale, budget, and timeline. —Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2025

Companies that dropped diversity, equity, and inclusion report lower retention of underrepresented staff, fewer women and people of color in leadership, and overall morale declines. —Essence, 9 Sep. 2025

The resolution also aims to improve morale among MCTS staff, allowing transit operators a day off, as ridership is consistently low over the holiday, Wasserman's resolution states. —Vanessa Swales, jsonline.com, 8 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

in sense 1, from French, from feminine of moral, adjective; in other senses, modification of French moral morale, from moral, adjective

First Known Use

1752, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for morale

• canal
• chorale
• corral
• ghazal
• locale
• royale
• bal
• dal
• gal
• mal
• pal
• sal

Kids Definition

morale

noun

mo·​rale mə-ˈral 

: the mental and emotional condition (as of enthusiasm, spirit, or loyalty) of an individual or a group with regard to a task or goal to be accomplished