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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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
Practical wisdom, justice, and AI The cardinal virtues of practical wisdom and justice are the habits for deciding, fairly, what needs to be done.
—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
Breaching tennis’ cardinal virtues of self-sufficiency and autonomy, the coach begins by telling this emotional woman to calm down.
—Jon Wertheim, SI.com, 11 Apr. 2018
Dialogue is one of their cardinal virtues, and most seemed determined to give Trump a hearing.
—Time, 25 Jan. 2018
Carolyn McKinney, Boston Herald, 22 Sep. 2025
Practical wisdom, justice, and AI The cardinal virtues of practical wisdom and justice are the habits for deciding, fairly, what needs to be done.
—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
Breaching tennis’ cardinal virtues of self-sufficiency and autonomy, the coach begins by telling this emotional woman to calm down.
—Jon Wertheim, SI.com, 11 Apr. 2018
Dialogue is one of their cardinal virtues, and most seemed determined to give Trump a hearing.
—Time, 25 Jan. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cardinal virtue
Noun
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Mullins banked in a 3-pointer in the final minute to counter a small run from the Illini and send the Huskies into the break with a 37-29 advantage.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
5 Apr. 2026
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Leading 46-44 a few minutes into the fourth quarter, South Carolina scored five straight points, capped by Makeer’s 3-pointer to extend the advantage to seven.—
Doug Feinberg,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This can be a very valuable lesson and can help make the home/work distinction clearer.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
6 Apr. 2026
-
There’s an important distinction between these institutional alternative spaces and real artist-run spaces.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
These songs may remind you of the comfortable virtues of another country craftsman, his mentor, Luke Combs.—
Ben Crandell,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Apr. 2026
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At the same time, feminists have never quite known what to do with women like Schlafly or Waters, or, for that matter, with Charlie Kirk’s widow, Erika, other than calling them hypocrites for having big careers while singing the virtues of staying home.—
Emma Green,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In Ohtani’s case, the deferrals brought the present-day value of his contract down to roughly $461 million.—
Dan Sheldon,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
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Their actions are a gut punch to American values and human decency.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Ken Horrell has served as a merit badge counselor, summer camp commissioner, roundtable commissioner, and district commissioner for the Blue Elk District of the Heart of America Council.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
8 Apr. 2026
-
But the past few days merit notice.—
Stephanie A,
The Conversation,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cardinal virtue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cardinal%20virtue. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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