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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
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
-
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
-
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
-
Different legal paths Although the four men were swept into the same investigation, their legal histories diverged — a distinction that will likely shape any effort to obtain restitution.—
Tony Plohetski,
Austin American Statesman,
23 Feb. 2026
-
The present moment may be witnessing a form of wholesale foreclosure, where the reading of books, and the practice of deep reading, may signal one’s class distinction.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
It was designed to be upgraded over time, demonstrating its long-term investment value.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
23 Feb. 2026
-
With each plaintiff loss, the value of future cases could decline, McNally said.—
Clare Duffy,
CNN Money,
22 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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 24 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
