moralize

1 of 2

verb

mor·​al·​ize ˈmȯr-ə-ˌlīz 

ˈmär-

moralized; moralizing

transitive verb

1

: to explain or interpret morally

2

a

: to give a moral quality or direction to

b

: to improve the morals of

intransitive verb

usually disapproving : to express beliefs and opinions about moral behavior

moralizing judgments/statements

moralization

ˌmȯr-ə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

ˌmär-

noun

moralizer

ˈmȯr-ə-ˌlī-zər 

ˈmär-

noun

moralization

2 of 2

noun

mor·​al·​iza·​tion

variants also British moralisation

ˌmȯrələ̇ˈzāshən, 

ˌmär-, 

-līˈ-

plural -s

1

a

: the giving of a moral interpretation to something : an explanation in moral terms

his criticism of the play is simply a moralization of it

b

: the act of moralizing : a moral reflection or discourse

moralizations … were the beginnings of thought, feelings, perceptions, which led him to write the novels

—J. T. Farrell

2

a

: the act of making moral

the best government it had ever known, with moralization of public offices

—Hubert Herring

b

: the process of becoming moral

progressive moralization of the idea of holiness in the Old Testament

—R. C. Dentan

Examples of moralize in a Sentence

Verb

an essay moralizing about the evils of alcohol

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Meanwhile, there remains the matter of moralizing. —Elizabeth Kolbert, New Yorker, 22 June 2026

The states most eager to moralize about fairness are learning that wealth has a tendency to seek fair treatment of its own. —Larry Clifton, Sun Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026

In a league full of players and coaches who love to moralize, that distinction matters. —Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026

Politics moralize and set certain beliefs apart as inviolable, while humor thrives in the gray areas between the sacred and the profane. —Robert Lynch, Chicago Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English moralizacion, from Medieval Latin moralization-, moralizatio, from moralizatus (past participle of moralizare to moralize) + Latin -ion-, -io -ion

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for moralize

• advertise
• aggrandize
• alibis
• alkalies
• alkalis
• amortize
• amplifies
• analyse
• analyze
• anywise
• authorize
• butterflies

Kids Definition

moralize

verb

mor·​al·​ize ˈmȯr-ə-ˌlīz 

ˈmär-

moralized; moralizing

1

: to explain in a moral sense : draw a moral from

2

: to make moral or morally better

3

: to make moral comments

moralization

ˌmȯr-ə-lə-ˈzā-shən 

ˌmär-

noun

moralizer

ˈmȯr-ə-ˌlī-zər 

ˈmär-

noun