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 Four years ago this week, a 22-year-old woman named Mahsa Jina Amini died after being detained by Iran’s morality police for allegedly violating the country’s compulsory hijab rules. — Pegah Banihashemi, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026 In a climate which increasingly tells people in these farmers communities that those two values are not politically aligned, sustainable farmers of faith told me that Berry validated their own sense of morality. — Sydney Giacalone, The Conversation, 17 Sep. 2026 The conflict between these characters is greater than the morality tale engulfing them. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026 Is the morality fable at the end an allegory of purgatory or hell? — The Week Us, TheWeek, 15 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
  • New recruits and seasoned officers alike take field trips to the Museum of Tolerance, where trainers extol the virtues of multiculturalism.
    — Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Baek Ki-hyeon aspired to walk a path of virtue and provide for their sister through honest means — but his calculating spymaster big brother was never going to let them out of his grasp.
    — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of virtue
Noun
  • Thus, although Sanjak the spy might have been portrayed as an evil agent, many readers cheered this original, unapologetic character who took control of her destiny and challenged traditional gender norms.
    — Gaby Iori October 7, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Prospective talent wants transparency into daily workflows, team documentation and operating norms, not polished corporate marketing.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of norms
Noun
  • The ‘Splash Brothers’ of anti-AI slop Cui has worked on trust and integrity online long before the GPT era.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Leaders need confidence in the integrity, provenance and protection of the data feeding AI.
    — Claudio Laterreur, Forbes.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of integrity
Noun
  • Professional societies and standards organizations will need to develop and regularly update the technical requirements.
    — Euan Ashley, STAT, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Cornell University’s investigation, of course, did not have to adhere to New York’s arguably archaic criminal standards, but its response, too, has triggered anger and disbelief across airwaves and social media.
    — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of standards
Noun
  • Like Kehlani and Tinashe, Jhené’s honesty transcended her commercial appeal.
    — Carl Lamarre, Billboard, 5 Oct. 2026
  • That is a fair point, but honesty cuts both ways; the factory of the past is a memory, not a reality.
    — Jeff Danielson, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of honesty
Noun
  • How much capacity do people really have to choose between goodness and evil?
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Nobody was better at selling their own inherent goodness to moviegoers.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of goodness
Noun
  • Given how Wade is defined by his love of hallucinogenic mushrooms and off-roading in an ATV, the character is designed to be played big, and Heaton appears to be enjoying himself.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Brooklyn Nine-Nine alum Fumero’s character, Teri, is a detective inspector for the New Jersey State Police.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 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 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on morality

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about morality

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