as in innocently
with purity of thought and deed
a politician who is in the habit of acting legally without behaving morally
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 morally
If it is now widely accepted that truthful portrayals of war are both technically and morally impossible, what are artists still obligated to picture in this moment when war is proliferating across the globe?
—
Hanlu Zhang, Artforum, 10 Mar. 2026
In a show filled with a wide range of morally and ethically questionable characters, Wilding makes Nova into possibly the story’s purest hero, single-handedly pushing the plot forward at certain points.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Cardinal Robert McElroy, the archbishop of Washington, said the United States and Israel had failed to meet the minimum criteria for the war to be considered morally just.
—ABC News, 9 Mar. 2026
Over email, Nicholson shared her thoughts on the morally ambiguous character and the Dustin Hoffman film that brings her comfort.
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
In addition, cues such as success or prestige can lead people to see something as more morally good.
—Ionela Bara, Scientific American, 6 Mar. 2026
Securing a colorblindness consensus was morally unchallenging.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 5 Mar. 2026
Director William Friedkin’s film has been lauded for its gritty realism, morally grey (or perhaps outright bankrupt) anti-hero and its revolutionary chase sequences that inspire filmmakers to this day.
—Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2026
The film weaves together family drama, thriller elements and dark humor, with a morally complex female protagonist at its center, and is aimed at the international festival circuit.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Feb. 2026
Hanlu Zhang, Artforum, 10 Mar. 2026
In a show filled with a wide range of morally and ethically questionable characters, Wilding makes Nova into possibly the story’s purest hero, single-handedly pushing the plot forward at certain points.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Cardinal Robert McElroy, the archbishop of Washington, said the United States and Israel had failed to meet the minimum criteria for the war to be considered morally just.
—ABC News, 9 Mar. 2026
Over email, Nicholson shared her thoughts on the morally ambiguous character and the Dustin Hoffman film that brings her comfort.
—Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
In addition, cues such as success or prestige can lead people to see something as more morally good.
—Ionela Bara, Scientific American, 6 Mar. 2026
Securing a colorblindness consensus was morally unchallenging.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 5 Mar. 2026
Director William Friedkin’s film has been lauded for its gritty realism, morally grey (or perhaps outright bankrupt) anti-hero and its revolutionary chase sequences that inspire filmmakers to this day.
—Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2026
The film weaves together family drama, thriller elements and dark humor, with a morally complex female protagonist at its center, and is aimed at the international festival circuit.
—Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 26 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for morally
Adverb
-
Bethenny Frankel was innocently applying a roller on her face to help with inflammation on Thursday on Instagram.—
Madeleine Marr,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The mistake begins innocently enough.—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
10 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
The vast majority of those who turn to self-representation do so purely out of need; that a new technology could serve as a democratizing force within the legal world, legal access advocates urge, is essential terrain to explore.—
Maggie Harrison Dupré,
Futurism,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Grammarly’s leadership framed the feature as designed to help users discover influential perspectives and provide meaningful opportunities for experts to build deeper relationships with their audiences, suggesting the intent was mutually beneficial rather than purely exploitative.—
Business Columnist,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
So excited to have properly chilled wine.—
Anna Moeslein,
Glamour,
16 Mar. 2026
-
The track was built properly, with the fencing, the walls.—
Lawrence Dow,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
The glorious sweep of progress toward Roman civilization and prosperity means the end of an idyllic, virtuously rustic Golden Age.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Sep. 2025
Adverb
-
The darkly comic crime drama pits Frances McDormand's righteously furious mom against a police force that hasn't caught her daughter's killer.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
4 Mar. 2026
-
But O’Hara is best known for her role as Kate McCallister in Home Alone, the distracted, frantic, righteously determined mom to Macaulay Culkin’s precocious 8-year-old Kevin.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Morally.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/morally. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
