morality

noun

mə-ˈra-lə-tē How to pronounce morality (audio)
Definition of moralitynext
1
as in virtue
conduct that conforms to an accepted standard of right and wrong given his reputation for unswerving morality, scandal of any kind would wreck his political career

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in principles
the code of good conduct for an individual or group the morality that members of the Mafia are expected to adhere to—or suffer the consequences

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 morality Expect plenty of action, interpersonal tensions and philosophical dilemmas around destiny and morality. — Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026 In an interview, Worner said that while saints are ultimately mortal and therefore not perfect, there is a certain criterion of morality decided by a multitude of individuals. — Vivian Wilson, Twin Cities, 8 July 2026 Religious horror films offer narratives of meaning, mystery, and morality, shaping how power, belief, and the body—both pure and possessed—are understood. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 8 July 2026 The leader is the head of state, commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and has authority over the national police and morality police. — Xiaoqian Lin, CNN Money, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for morality
Recent Examples of Synonyms for morality
  1. virtue
  2. norms
  3. integrity
  4. standards
  5. honesty
  6. goodness
  7. character
  8. rightness
Noun
  • Deliberation remains one of higher education's greatest virtues.
    — David Rosowsky, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • But if this move was taken in good faith — lower your eyebrows, please — then what was the virtue in keeping it secret?
    — Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of virtue
Noun
  • While inflation remains volatile across countries, influencing cautious planning, salary increases are relatively high compared to pre-pandemic norms.
    — John M. Bremen, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • The show was inspired by a real-life military program called Team Lioness, which added women soldiers to combat units, deploying them to Iraq in 2003—at a time when cultural norms prevented male soldiers from interacting directly with Muslim women.
    — Kenneal Patterson, Vanity Fair, 30 July 2026
Definition of norms
Noun
  • The district attorney’s office’s community integrity unit discovered the Brady rule violation, according to a news release from the office.
    — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The optimizer explanation argues for better objective specification and evaluation integrity.
    — Ashish Bhatia, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of integrity
Noun
  • The Pisces Moon in your 7th House of Partnership opposes Venus in Virgo, making another person’s needs hard to ignore while your own standards get louder.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Meanwhile, the city will work on outreach to get vacant properties registered while putting together a guide explaining what the standards are for owners.
    — Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of standards
Noun
  • Making good on his promise in The Holdovers, Dominic Sessa is excellent in the role, nailing the contradictory aspects of a slippery character while mapping his coming-of-age arc with empathy and honesty.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 29 July 2026
  • An honesty first, the kind the easy version of this argument would skip.
    — Jason Snyder, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of honesty
Noun
  • And, more importantly, the first honest-to-goodness college football game of the season arrives in just 45 days.
    — Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 15 July 2026
  • Banana Bread Cereal Treats bind the two desserts with buttery, marshmallow goodness.
    — Erin Merhar, Southern Living, 13 July 2026
Definition of goodness
Noun
  • None of the characters has a convincing motivation for their actions or words.
    — Jack Dunn, Variety, 30 July 2026
  • Nolan has cited Wilson's translation in discussing his approach to the film, but Wilson says she was disappointed with the adaptation — and especially by Nolan's rendering of the central character.
    — Dave Davies, NPR, 29 July 2026
Definition of character
Noun
  • Cool Machine is definitive not only for its sweep but also for the rightness, the evocative precision, of the details that fill its paragraphs like the mystery mix inside the skin of a Gray’s Papaya hot dog.
    — David Hajdu, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026
  • If the Sun is high in the lunar sky during the flyby, there will be few shadows, and the crew will be looking for subtle variations in surface color and rightness.
    — Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Apr. 2026
Definition of rightness

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moralists
morality
morality play
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Cite this Entry

“Morality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/morality. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on morality

Nglish: Translation of morality for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about morality

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