moral
MO-ruhl
Moral (adj) means Concerned with right and wrong behaviour, or conforming to accepted standards of good conduct. Example: “She felt a moral obligation to tell the truth.”
adj
1
Concerned with right and wrong behaviour, or conforming to accepted standards of good conduct.
"She felt a moral obligation to tell the truth."
"He questioned the moral implications of the decision."
"Most people agree that it is the moral thing to do to return a lost wallet."
noun
1
The lesson about right and wrong conduct that a story or experience teaches.
"The moral of the fable is that patience pays off."
"The moral of the story is that honesty is better than cheating."
"Children often learn a moral from the tales their grandparents tell them."
2
The principles of good behaviour that guide someone's conduct (usually plural: morals).
"He's a man of strong morals."
"Her morals would never allow her to cheat, even when nobody was watching."
"People often question the morals of a character who lies to get ahead."
How to use moral
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo do with what is right and wrong, or the lesson a story teaches about that.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "morale" — morale is confidence or spirit (e.g. "team morale"), moral is about ethics.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
moral obligation
moral support
the moral of the story
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Word forms
- Plural
- morals
- Third person singular
- morals
- Past tense
- moraled, moralled
- Comparative
- more moral
- Superlative
- most moral
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She felt a _____ obligation to tell the truth.
Etymology
From Old French moral, from Latin mōrālis, "relating to manners or morals," coined by Cicero to translate the Greek ēthikós.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for moral
See all rhymes for moral →Frequently asked questions
What does “moral” mean?
The word “moral” means concerned with right and wrong behaviour, or conforming to accepted standards of good conduct. In plain terms, to do with what is right and wrong, or the lesson a story teaches about that.
How do you pronounce “moral”?
“Moral” is pronounced MO-ruhl (/ˈmoɹəl/ in IPA).
How do you use “moral” in a sentence?
Here is “moral” used in a sentence: “She felt a moral obligation to tell the truth.”
What is the opposite of “moral”?
The opposite of “moral” — its antonyms — are immoral, unethical, corrupt, unscrupulous and amoral.
What part of speech is “moral”?
Depending on how it is used, “moral” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “moral” come from?
The word “moral” comes from Latin. From Old French moral, from Latin mōrālis, "relating to manners or morals," coined by Cicero to translate the Greek ēthikós.
Is “moral” a common word?
“Moral” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “moral” have?
“Moral” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: concerned with right and wrong behaviour, or conforming to accepted standards of good conduct.
What is the difference between moral and morale?
Moral is an adjective (and sometimes a noun) about right and wrong, as in 'a moral decision.' Morale is a noun meaning the confidence and spirit of a person or group, as in 'team morale is high.' They are pronounced differently, with morale stressed on the second syllable.
What is the difference between moral and ethical?
The words overlap and are often interchangeable. Moral tends to describe an individual's personal sense of right and wrong, often shaped by upbringing or belief. Ethical more often refers to agreed standards of conduct, especially formal codes within a profession. Both concern behaving rightly, but from slightly different angles.
What is the opposite of moral?
The direct opposite is immoral, meaning behaviour that breaks accepted standards of right and wrong. A related word is amoral, which is different: it describes someone or something with no sense of morality at all, rather than actively doing wrong. Unethical is another common antonym.
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