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moral

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective moral differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of moral are ethical, noble, righteous, and virtuous. While all these words mean "conforming to a standard of what is right and good," moral implies conformity to established sanctioned codes or accepted notions of right and wrong.

the basic moral values of a community

When is ethical a more appropriate choice than moral?

The synonyms ethical and moral are sometimes interchangeable, but ethical may suggest the involvement of more difficult or subtle questions of rightness, fairness, or equity.

committed to the highest ethical principles

When might noble be a better fit than moral?

Although the words noble and moral have much in common, noble implies moral eminence and freedom from anything petty, mean, or dubious in conduct and character.

had the noblest of reasons for seeking office

In what contexts can righteous take the place of moral?

In some situations, the words righteous and moral are roughly equivalent. However, righteous stresses guiltlessness or blamelessness and often suggests the sanctimonious.

wished to be righteous before God and the world

When could virtuous be used to replace moral?

While the synonyms virtuous and moral are close in meaning, virtuous implies moral excellence in character.

not a religious person, but virtuous nevertheless

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 moral
Adjective
None of this, of course, is to suggest that Pope Leo XIV’s perspectives on social and moral concerns will be binding on corporations and their leaders. Michael Peregrine, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025 Dabbling in crime didn’t leave any more of a moral or physical escape route than a full commitment — and now they’re forced to commit. Peter White, Deadline, 21 May 2025
Noun
Freshly tossed into a private Catholic high school by his devout mother, John falls head over heels for a devious classmate ready to push his faith (and morals) to the brink with a series of increasingly uncomfortable actions, all in the name of love. Katcy Stephan, Variety, 16 Apr. 2025 This information helped instill critical morals and values in the young girl, along with laying the foundation for her subsequent artistry. Okla Jones, Essence, 23 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for moral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for moral
Adjective
  • Ever-committed to ethical leadership, sustainable growth, and responsible business practices, Mr. Jitjanuruk imparts these goals on the next generation of financial leaders and the modern fintech industry.
    Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 23 May 2025
  • Treating dogs as child substitutes and seeking out extreme infantile traits in them raises several ethical concerns that have led to the mass breeding of some unhealthy traits over time.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • After his honorable discharge from the Marine Corps, Quang enjoyed a successful pharmaceutical sales stint as a top producer for Astra/Merck and then Genentech.
    Quang X. Pham, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
  • Instead, most of Bernadette’s assumptions — that working the border is an honorable act, or that a federal position will imbue her with more authority, or that all Native people will have the same opinions and the same goals — are upended over the course of the season.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • This same principle guides LLS’s approach to social issues and political proposals.
    Lynn Godfrey, Forbes.com, 22 May 2025
  • The court found that denying legal recognition to the non-biological mother violates the constitutional principles of equality and personal identity and violates the child’s rights to care, education and emotional continuity from both parents.
    Reuters, CNN Money, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • Log in Real news can be honest, hopeful, credible, constructive.
    Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 16 May 2025
  • Comforting touch should be honest and clear – not ambiguous, not tentative and never assumed.
    Brian N. Chin, The Conversation, 16 May 2025
Adjective
  • The whereabouts rules are in place to ensure a fair and consistent method of testing for all athletes — not just ones who come from nations with conscientious anti-doping practices.
    Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 14 May 2025
  • By operating outside of the fast-churning fashion market with multi-year collections, Huang takes necessary time to be innovative and conscientious with her label’s designs and production.
    Cierra Black, Essence, 23 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • But the state counted on an average annual return of 8.5% on its pension investments back then, very aggressive assumptions that inflated the funds’ values by billions of dollars.
    Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 25 May 2025
  • That, for now, provides a sigh of relief considering the value Mikkola has brought to the Panthers.
    Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 25 May 2025
Adjective
  • This is a view of the future where major sporting events can achieve practically ubiquitous distribution and true interactivity.
    Richard Deitsch, New York Times, 15 May 2025
  • Brands can now measure interactions that happen across different channels and touchpoints, such as call center conversions or in-store actions—creating a true omnichannel view.
    Heidi Bullock, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
Noun
  • Russian sources, however, have suggested a third theory: that Portnov might have held compromising material on current Ukrainian officials.
    Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
  • The chance encounter turned out to be a first-of-its-kind sighting — and confirmation of an expert theory.
    Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 23 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Moral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/moral. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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