morality
noun
mo·ral·i·ty
mə-ˈra-lə-tē 
mȯ-
plural moralities
1
a
: a doctrine or system of moral conduct
… the basic law which an adequate morality ought to state.—
Marjorie Grene
Marjorie Grene
b
moralities plural
: particular moral principles or rules of conduct
… we were all brought up on one of these moralities …—Psychiatry
Psychiatry2
: conformity to ideals of right human conduct
admitted the expediency of the law but questioned its morality
3
: moral conduct : virtue
… morality today involves a responsible relationship toward the laws of the natural world …—P. B. Sears
P. B. Sears4
a
: a moral discourse, statement, or lesson
ended his lecture with a trite morality
b
: a literary or other imaginative work teaching a moral lesson
"Aesop's Fables" is famous as a morality.
Examples of morality in a Sentence
The group is calling for a return to traditional morality.
two groups with clashing moralities
The decision may be legally justified, but I question its morality.
Recent Examples on the Web
In his experiences and chronicles of the great ideological battles of the twentieth century, Curzio Malaparte was a shape-shifter—pitiless, clinical, cynical, unsentimental, indifferent to morality and idealism.
—Leah Downey, The New York Review of Books, 7 Feb. 2026
God, morality, truth, knowledge, and the human condition can all be explained by this system.
—Big Think, 5 Feb. 2026
More broadly, understanding the neurological roots of morality and moral decision-making provides a bridge between science and society, revealing constraints that define how and why people make choices.
—Christopher M. Filley, The Conversation, 3 Feb. 2026
The Pro Football Hall of Fame, unlike baseball’s, does not have a morality clause.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for morality
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Leah Downey, The New York Review of Books, 7 Feb. 2026
God, morality, truth, knowledge, and the human condition can all be explained by this system.
—Big Think, 5 Feb. 2026
More broadly, understanding the neurological roots of morality and moral decision-making provides a bridge between science and society, revealing constraints that define how and why people make choices.
—Christopher M. Filley, The Conversation, 3 Feb. 2026
The Pro Football Hall of Fame, unlike baseball’s, does not have a morality clause.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for morality
Cite this Entry
“Morality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/morality. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
morality
noun
mo·ral·i·ty
mə-ˈral-ət-ē
plural moralities
1
: moral quality : virtue
judge the morality of an action
2
: a system of moral rules
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