moral authority
noun
: trustworthiness to make decisions that are right and good
The scandal has undermined the government's moral authority.
Examples of moral authority in a Sentence
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The overpowering moral authority of wronged women, #MeToo’s skeptics alleged, would allow cynical wrongdoers to weaponize claims of victimhood for their own gain.
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Moira Donegan, New Yorker, 9 June 2026
America was losing its moral authority in the world (think Abu Ghraib and the torture memo).
—Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 9 June 2026
Mothers not only seek expert opinion on parenting but tune into emotionally evocative stories about motherhood that make feelings a source of moral authority.
—Nina Bandelj, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2026
He is associated with Catholic integralism, a view that Catholic social doctrine should shape public life, that the church’s moral authority matters in the political sphere.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for moral authority
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Moira Donegan, New Yorker, 9 June 2026
America was losing its moral authority in the world (think Abu Ghraib and the torture memo).
—Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 9 June 2026
Mothers not only seek expert opinion on parenting but tune into emotionally evocative stories about motherhood that make feelings a source of moral authority.
—Nina Bandelj, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2026
He is associated with Catholic integralism, a view that Catholic social doctrine should shape public life, that the church’s moral authority matters in the political sphere.
—Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 2 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for moral authority
Cite this Entry
“Moral authority.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moral%20authority. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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