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

b

moralities plural : particular moral principles or rules of conduct

… we were all brought up on one of these moralities …

—Psychiatry

2

: 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

4

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.

Synonyms of morality

• virtue
• integrity
• honesty
• goodness
• morals
• ethics
• character
• rightness

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

The 22-year-old died after being detained by Iran’s morality police for allegedly violating the country’s mandatory hijab rules, The National reported. — Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026

Marjane depicts our terrifying teachers, the violent morality police and our collective and perpetual fear that we might be caught, hurt, arrested, killed. — Literary Hub, 29 June 2026

Over time, churches could no longer set their own levels of morality and settled for having a strong influence. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2026

Cue a whole host of dodgy deals and shady string-pulling, not to mention an extramarital affair, as the entirely fictional — but no doubt true to life — character abandons any sense of morality. — Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 26 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4a

Phrases Containing morality

• morality play

Rhymes for morality

• banality
• bestiality
• brutality
• carnality
• centrality
• chirality
• duality
• fatality
• finality
• formality
• frugality
• legality

Kids 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