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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 poem draws on Greek mythology to weave a morality tale exploring themes of hospitality, hubris, loyalty, temptation, and free will. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 20 July 2026 Yes, these stories have monsters in them, heroic adventures, and black-and-white morality tales. — Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026 But there’s a difference between narrating crime scenes at a remove and wrestling with the lingering morality of it all. — Dylan Green, Pitchfork, 17 July 2026 Nolan, energized by the self-restraining power of modern morality, turns an epic poem prosaic. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 15 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
  • Consider refreshing your profile photo today, because comfort and honesty reinforce your confidence.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Children’s television tries to address that confusion by depicting divorce with some degree of honesty and sensitivity.
    — Patricia Fersch, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of honesty
Noun
  • Topped with macadamia nuts and basil and swimming in stracciatella goodness, this dish is a fun, Florida take on the traditional Italian starter.
    — Connie Ogle July 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
  • That post, by the way, got 301,000 views — or about one-third as many as the one declaring God's goodness.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of goodness
Noun
  • The character at its center is Bret Easton Ellis — played here by Igby Rigney, who does look eerily like the author’s high-school yearbook photo — and the book and series are largely inspired by Ellis’s real-life senior year at the Buckley School.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The show has new characters and a fresh storyline for Los Angeles.
    — Hunter Sowards, CBS News, 6 Aug. 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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morality play
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Cite this Entry

“Morality.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/morality. Accessed 7 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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