moral

1 of 2

adjective

mor·al ˈmȯr-əl

ˈmär-

Synonyms of moral next

: of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior : ethical

moral judgments

: expressing or teaching a conception of right behavior

a moral poem

: conforming to a standard of right behavior

took a moral position on the issue though it cost him the nomination

: sanctioned by or operative on one's conscience or ethical judgment

a moral obligation

: capable of right and wrong action

a moral agent

: probable though not proved : virtual

a moral certainty

: perceptual or psychological rather than tangible or practical in nature or effect

a moral victory

moral support

morally

ˈmȯr-ə-lē

ˈmär-

adverb

moral

2 of 2

noun

mor·al ˈmȯr-əl

ˈmär-;

sense 3 is

mə-ˈral

: the moral significance or practical lesson (as of a story)

The moral of the story is to be satisfied with what you have.

: a passage pointing out usually in conclusion the lesson to be drawn from a story

morals plural

: moral practices or teachings : modes of conduct

an authoritative code of morals has force and effect when it expresses the settled customs of a stable society—

Walter Lippmann

: ethics

the science of morals endeavors to divide men into the good and the bad—

J. W. Krutch

: morale

The casualties did not shake the moral of the soldiers.

Did you know?

Ethics vs Morals: Is there a difference?

Ethics and morals are both used in the plural and are often regarded as synonyms, but there is some distinction in how they are used.

Morals often describes one's particular values concerning what is right and what is wrong:

It would go against my morals to help you cheat on the test.

He appears to view himself as a kind of culture warrior, striking out against the crumbling morals of modern society.
Jonathan Goldsbie, Now Toronto, 16 Oct. 2014

While ethics can refer broadly to moral principles, one often sees it applied to questions of correct behavior within a relatively narrow area of activity:

Our class had a debate over the ethics of genetic testing.

Anybody, it seemed, could make the music -- if they couldn't play guitar, they could push a button -- and nobody worried about the ethics of appropriating riffs.
Jennifer Foote, Newsweek, 23 July 1990

In addition, morals usually connotes an element of subjective preference, while ethics tends to suggest aspects of universal fairness and the question of whether or not an action is responsible:

Perhaps you don’t like Kim Kardashian, or her family, or her morals don’t align with yours, or you just think it’s weird that she might have had some plastic surgery, likes to apply makeup in a really complicated way and named her kid “Saint.”
Sarah Boboltz, The Huffington Post, 12 Oct. 2016

The Frenches, both professors in The Media School, focused on the ethics of making medical decisions for a child who could not express her own wishes yet…
Chris Mura, Indiana Daily Student, 18 Oct. 2016

Choose the Right Synonym for moral

moral, ethical, virtuous, righteous, noble mean conforming to a standard of what is right and good.

moral implies conformity to established sanctioned codes or accepted notions of right and wrong.

the basic moral values of a community

ethical may suggest the involvement of more difficult or subtle questions of rightness, fairness, or equity.

committed to the highest ethical principles

virtuous implies moral excellence in character.

not a religious person, but virtuous nevertheless

righteous stresses guiltlessness or blamelessness and often suggests the sanctimonious.

wished to be righteous before God and the world

noble implies moral eminence and freedom from anything petty, mean, or dubious in conduct and character.

had the noblest of reasons for seeking office

Example Sentences

Adjective Nor did these lawyers and bankers walk about suffused with guilt. They had the moral equivalent of teflon on their soul. Church on Sunday, foreclose on Monday. —

Norman Mailer, New York Review of Books, 27 Mar. 2002

… trip-wire sensitivity to perceived insult often leads to unjustifiable firings and other moral and legal imbroglios. —

John McWhorter, New Republic, 14 Jan. 2002

The modern liberal state was premised on the notion that in the interests of political peace, government would not take sides among the differing moral claims made by religion and traditional culture. —

Francis Fukuyama, Atlantic, May 1999

It was our desire for a moral world, the deep wish to assert the existence of goodness, that generated, as it continues to do, political fantasy. —

Arthur Miller, Timebends, 1987

The author avoids making moral judgments. Each story teaches an important moral lesson. He felt that he had a moral obligation to help the poor. We're confident she has the moral fiber to make the right decision. Their behavior was not moral. Animals are not moral creatures and are not responsible for their actions. Noun The moral of the story is to be satisfied with what you have. The moral here is: pay attention to the warning lights in your car. Socrates was accused of corrupting the morals of the youth of Athens. The author points to recent cases of fraud as evidence of the lack of morals in the business world. See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Go on sale to the general public on Aug. 1. 'King John' WHAT: Unfolding in a treacherous world ruled by self-interest, warmongering and a lack of moral leadership, this political thriller follows a scheming monarch battling threats from abroad and within. —

Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 16 May 2023 And though words and a high moral code mattered to Mr. Walker, material objects did not. —

Bryan Marquard, BostonGlobe.com, 14 May 2023 He was ordered to pay a $500 fine, attend moral therapy and cease contact with the victim. —

Taylor Pettaway, San Antonio Express-News, 11 May 2023 But the moral crises remain the same: Ray Carney keeps his straight gig running a furniture store while keeping a hand in the underworld as Black Power politics reshape the neighborhood. —

Mark Athitakis, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2023 The royal orb stands for moral and religious authority, and the sceptre symbolizes power. —

USA TODAY, 4 May 2023 The premise that drag is suddenly destroying the moral fabric of today’s youth is frankly absurd. —

Chris Vognar, Chron, 3 May 2023 The more than four-hour meeting attended by hundreds grew emotional at many points, as residents and council members offered perspectives on moral issues as weighty as when life begins and the range of circumstances surrounding a decision to end a pregnancy. —

Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 3 May 2023 To get a sense of a writer’s artistic and moral ethos, look no further than her sources of inspiration. —

Juliana Ukiomogbe, ELLE, 2 May 2023

Noun

The corruptive force of needing to make a living — even that needs to take its context from my morals, ethics, and responsibility to myself and to everyone who works with me. —

Emma Madden, Vulture, 10 Apr. 2023 There have been instances where officers have acted in a manner that is not consistent with the values, ethics, and morals of good policing. —

Louisville Courier Journal, The Courier-Journal, 9 Mar. 2023 Suzie Miller constructs her monodrama at the intersection of #MeToo and British justice, and though the dramatist appends a superfluous moral to the story, the proceedings amount to a virtuosic, blow-by-blow account of a process stacked against female victims. —

Peter Marks, Washington Post, 17 May 2022 Sam's friends — and potential suspects — are among the characters who are forced to reflect on their own lives, actions and morals. —

Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 12 May 2023 That’s not paradoxical; the greater amount of white matter doesn’t mean habitual liars are more inclined to stick to rules and morals. —

Paul Tullis, Town & Country, 30 Apr. 2023 When food shows up on canvas, politics, sexuality and morals are often close behind. —

Peter Saenger, WSJ, 31 Mar. 2023 And for any politico concerned solely with electability, the good news is the results follow the morals anyhow. —

Prem Thakker, The New Republic, 24 Mar. 2023 Charity hopes her future husband is honest, loyal and shares similar morals. —

Ben Flanagan | Bflanagan@al.com, al, 18 Mar. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'moral.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.