morality

noun

mo·​ral·​i·​ty mə-ˈra-lə-tē 

mȯ-

plural moralities

1

a

: a moral discourse, statement, or lesson

ended his lecture with a trite morality

b

: a literary or other imaginative work teaching a moral lesson

"Aesop's Fables" is famous as a morality.

2

a

: a doctrine or system of moral conduct

the basic law which an adequate morality ought to state

—Marjorie Grene

b

moralities plural : particular moral principles or rules of conduct

we were all brought up on one of these moralities

—Psychiatry

3

: conformity to ideals of right human conduct

admitted the expediency of the law but questioned its morality

4

: moral conduct : virtue

morality today involves a responsible relationship toward the laws of the natural world

—P. B. Sears

Synonyms

• character
• decency
• goodness
• honesty
• integrity
• probity
• rectitude
• righteousness
• rightness
• uprightness
• virtue
• virtuousness

Examples of morality in a Sentence

The group is calling for a return to traditional morality.

two groups with clashing moralities

The decision may be legally justified, but I question its morality.

Recent Examples on the Web

Elected in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal that brought down President Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, the former governor of Georgia, ran as a Washington outsider and rose to the White House with a strong sense of morality, an engineer's mind and a progressive, moderate approach to governing. —Grace Segers, CBS News, 29 Dec. 2024

Carter used his political anonymity to his advantage, running as an outsider who could bring to Washington just the type of integrity and personal morality needed in the aftermath of the Watergate era. —Ted Johnson, Deadline, 29 Dec. 2024

Three years later, in 2022, the regime’s infamous morality police murdered a young woman, Masha Amini, for not adequately covering her hair. —Benjamin Weinthal, Fox News, 27 Dec. 2024

Instead, jurors are likely to associate one's appearance with traits like honesty, reliability and morality. —Jenna Sundel, Newsweek, 21 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing morality

• morality play

Kids Definition

morality

noun

mo·​ral·​i·​ty mə-ˈral-ət-ē 

plural moralities

1

: moral quality : virtue

judge the morality of an action

2

: a system of moral rules