as in advantage
a quality that gives something special worth
the cardinal virtue of wool is that it retains its insulating properties even when wet
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Recent Examples of cardinal virtue
Tolerance became the cardinal virtue of modern liberalism, but tolerance cannot sustain a civilization.
—
Carolyn McKinney, Boston Herald, 22 Sep. 2025
Practical wisdom, justice, and AI The cardinal virtues of practical wisdom and justice are the habits for deciding, fairly, what needs to be done.
—Andrew Abela, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Aquinas also noted that each of these four cardinal virtues had several smaller virtues associated with them.
—Andrew Abela, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024
Doubt is a cardinal virtue in the sciences, which advance through skeptics’ willingness to question the experts.
—Washington Post, 16 Dec. 2020
Breaching tennis’ cardinal virtues of self-sufficiency and autonomy, the coach begins by telling this emotional woman to calm down.
—Jon Wertheim, SI.com, 11 Apr. 2018
Dialogue is one of their cardinal virtues, and most seemed determined to give Trump a hearing.
—Time, 25 Jan. 2018
Carolyn McKinney, Boston Herald, 22 Sep. 2025
Practical wisdom, justice, and AI The cardinal virtues of practical wisdom and justice are the habits for deciding, fairly, what needs to be done.
—Andrew Abela, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
Aquinas also noted that each of these four cardinal virtues had several smaller virtues associated with them.
—Andrew Abela, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024
Doubt is a cardinal virtue in the sciences, which advance through skeptics’ willingness to question the experts.
—Washington Post, 16 Dec. 2020
Breaching tennis’ cardinal virtues of self-sufficiency and autonomy, the coach begins by telling this emotional woman to calm down.
—Jon Wertheim, SI.com, 11 Apr. 2018
Dialogue is one of their cardinal virtues, and most seemed determined to give Trump a hearing.
—Time, 25 Jan. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cardinal virtue
Noun
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Arkansas climbed to a double-digit advantage, leading by as many as 14 points with two minutes left.—
Maddie Hartley,
Kansas City Star,
22 Feb. 2026
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Dr Amgad Rezk said the process offered significant advantages for industry, with an energy-efficient and scalable approach.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But only one of them will be able to lay full claim to that distinction once the results on the March 3 primary are in.—
John C. Moritz,
Austin American Statesman,
16 Feb. 2026
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Paula Wallace, the founder and president of the Savannah College of Art and Design, can add a new distinction to her résumé.—
James Manso,
Footwear News,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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When a collaborator brings me something made entirely with AI, that alone is neither a flaw nor a virtue.—
Michele Zanello,
Rolling Stone,
17 Feb. 2026
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All this is particularly noteworthy in today’s era, where such leadership virtues are seemingly in decline, if not disappearing.—
Michael Peregrine,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The other redemptions outside of those options typically offer a subpar value of less than 1 cent per point, except for Bilt Travel redemptions and travel partner transfers.—
Jason Stauffer,
CNBC,
16 Feb. 2026
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The Canadians are taking it personally that their integrity is coming under attack in front of a global audience at the Olympics, which touts the values of respect and friendship.—
Julia Frankel,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
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These movies have the extraordinary merit of putting the passions of love and the obstacles to relationships front and center, balancing personal desires and social obligations on an equal footing, and thereby lending bourgeois life the grandeur of tragedy.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
18 Feb. 2026
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In 2021, Jackson received France's highest order of merit, the Commander of the Legion of Honor.—
Patricio Chile,
ABC News,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cardinal virtue.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cardinal%20virtue. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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