morale

noun

mo·​rale mə-ˈral 

1

: moral principles, teachings, or conduct

2

a

: the mental and emotional condition (as of enthusiasm, confidence, or loyalty) of an individual or group with regard to the function or tasks at hand

The team's morale is high.

b

: a sense of common purpose with respect to a group : esprit de corps

The ship's morale improved after two days of shore leave.

3

: the level of individual psychological well-being based on such factors as a sense of purpose and confidence in the future

The failure of his play did not affect his morale.

Examples of morale in a Sentence

The team is playing well and their morale is high.

The President's speech boosted the morale of the troops.

Recent Examples on the Web

Central to that is teammates, particularly within the same position group, celebrating the success of one another rather than letting the depth chart dictate morale. — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2026

This mission, extended twice beyond its initial seven-month expectation, has severely impacted crew morale. — Peter Suciu, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

The specter of the takeover wasn't apparent on Wednesday morning; the convocation itself was a large-scale pep rally, featuring live music, games, cheering, and dancing, all to boost morale and propel teachers forward. — Lacey Beasley, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026

Richmond became the laughingstock of the Premier League, and the players increasingly struggled with morale, even while their off-the-pitch bonds remained as strong as ever. — Rachel Labonte, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

in sense 1, from French, from feminine of moral, adjective; in other senses, modification of French moral morale, from moral, adjective

First Known Use

1752, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for morale

• canal
• chorale
• corral
• locale
• royale
• artisanal
• bal
• dal
• gal
• mal
• pal
• sal

Kids Definition

morale

noun

mo·​rale mə-ˈral 

: the mental and emotional condition (as of enthusiasm, spirit, or loyalty) of an individual or a group with regard to a task or goal to be accomplished