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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 The Sopranos, Mad Men, Breaking Bad — these were dramas about institutions, morality, and power, all told through the highest cinematic craft. — Henry Metz, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026 The McLuhanite in me wants to stick to the first interpretation, in which the apparent shift in shame is a matter of morality getting funnelled through a new medium. — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2026 Swift was born into the Anglo-Irish Protestant elite, and the text satires both the callousness of his class and a then-ascendant approach to morality and politics that held that all aspects of life could be cooked down to a pure numerical value. — Dónal Gill, The Dial, 8 Sep. 2026 Questions around isolation, human connection and morality drive Bunker, as does an authentic wife-and-husband performance from the Spanish A-listers. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 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
  • But the assumption that happiness and virtue should be systematically balanced is implied in every moral critique.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Also, in producing more original films, which push the envelope on narrative or visuals, filmmakers are making a virtue out of a market necessity.
    — John Hopewell, Variety, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of virtue
Noun
  • Leaders should also establish clear team norms for when communication can happen asynchronously and when a live conversation is more appropriate.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Aligning the machines to shift toward existing norms is already a moral and philosophical decision, one that relies on all sorts of conditional definitions.
    — Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of norms
Noun
  • And an agreement that at the same time recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom and the right of the Greenlandic people to self-determination.
    — Michelle Stoddart, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The vote demonstrated that cryptocurrency regulation cannot be separated from questions of political integrity, institutional authority and public confidence.
    — Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of integrity
Noun
  • Brand standards ensure spectacular services and top notch amenities and comfort.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Residents will have a chance to weigh in Saturday during a community meeting for the downtown Lincoln master plan and its objective design and development standards.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of standards
Noun
  • That honesty is what turns AI from an experiment into something the business can trust.
    — Matt Waxman, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Her raw honesty in West End Girl likely led to the album’s widespread positive reception, Allen said.
    — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of honesty
Noun
  • Growing up, many of us remember dutifully taking a few more bites of protein (and, of course, vegetables) to appease our moms before we were allowed to progress to the sweet, carb-heavy goodness of dessert.
    — Jennifer Byrne, Popular Science, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Following the premiere of the second season (but before the promise of a third), Innanen spoke with Variety about Paul Baker’s arc this season, the limits of delivering sitcom goodness within an eight-episode season and his hopes for a Season 3.
    — Mya Copeland, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of goodness
Noun
  • However, the irregular architecture, surviving wooden beams, and 15th-century chapel lend certain spaces genuine local character.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Those scenes play as if the screenwriters gave up on trying to resolve the twisty plot, instead just making their characters tell all, leaving the film’s denouement much less engrossing than its setup.
    — Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 16 Sep. 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 21 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on morality

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about morality

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