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

Recent Examples on the Web

She was originally trained in Straussian scholarship—a reading of classical political thought that criticizes the modern turn away from the sources of moral authority toward liberalism and, in Strauss’s view, nihilism. —George Packer, The Atlantic, 24 Nov. 2025

Moreover, the current crop of party elders does not carry the moral authority that the first generation of elders earned from fighting in the communist revolution. —Deng Yuwen, Foreign Affairs, 14 Nov. 2025

At the end of the day, this administration has lost the moral authority to lead and should do us all a mercy and step out of the way. —Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 24 Oct. 2025

Others wrung riches from the network; Berners-Lee assumed the mantle of moral authority, fighting to safeguard the web’s openness and promote equitable access. —Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 29 Sep. 2025

Rhymes for moral authority

• exteriority
• inferiority
• superiority
• majority
• minority
• priority
• seniority
• sonority
• sorority