cardinal virtue

Definition of cardinal virtuenext
as in advantage
a quality that gives something special worth the cardinal virtue of wool is that it retains its insulating properties even when wet

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cardinal virtue Tolerance became the cardinal virtue of modern liberalism, but tolerance cannot sustain a civilization. Carolyn McKinney, Boston Herald, 22 Sep. 2025 Courage, self-discipline, and AI The other two cardinal virtues (there are four in all) are courage and self-discipline. Andrew Abela, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025 Aquinas also noted that each of these four cardinal virtues had several smaller virtues associated with them. Andrew Abela, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024 Doubt is a cardinal virtue in the sciences, which advance through skeptics’ willingness to question the experts. Washington Post, 16 Dec. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cardinal virtue
Noun
  • The Red Sox tacked on two insurance runs in the seventh on Abreu’s sacrifice fly and Masataka Yoshida’s RBI single for a 7-3 advantage.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • Good luck with that message in flyover country when the revolutionaries don’t enjoy the advantages of light-turnout primaries.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Noun
  • Some make a distinction between temporary discomfort – such as anxiety or difficult emotions during meditation – and lasting harm, such as worsening mental health symptoms.
    Ronald S. Green, The Conversation, 16 July 2026
  • Pica and compulsive tendencies There’s an important distinction between chewing and pica in cats.
    Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026
Noun
  • In response, Capital One treats AI fluency as an organizational virtue, not an individual credential.
    Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • The same amount of venality and virtue exists today as did back then, and so human nature just doesn’t change.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 2 July 2026
Noun
  • Player sales — which are planned for, are made on Newcastle’s terms and, where possible, at the point of maximum value — have become integral.
    Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 18 July 2026
  • Its previous generation was in high demand because of its value and quality, but its redesign takes everything up a notch as a bigger and bolder SUV.
    Charles Singh, USA Today, 17 July 2026
Noun
  • When audiences can easily identify a publisher's ownership, affiliations, editorial orientation and reporting history, they are better equipped to evaluate information on its merits.
    Jeremy Fields, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • But last month, the Office of Management and Budget proposed replacing this process with one in which federal funding rests on political appointments rather than scientific merit.
    Felix V. Matos Rodriguez, New York Daily News, 17 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Cardinal virtue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cardinal%20virtue. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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