morale

noun

mo·​rale mə-ˈral 

1

: moral principles, teachings, or conduct

2

a

: the mental and emotional condition (as of enthusiasm, confidence, or loyalty) of an individual or group with regard to the function or tasks at hand

The team's morale is high.

b

: a sense of common purpose with respect to a group : esprit de corps

The ship's morale improved after two days of shore leave.

3

: the level of individual psychological well-being based on such factors as a sense of purpose and confidence in the future

The failure of his play did not affect his morale.

Examples of morale in a Sentence

The team is playing well and their morale is high.

The President's speech boosted the morale of the troops.

Recent Examples on the Web

During economic uncertainty, ensure your workplace culture and employee morale are supported, acknowledged, and clearly communicated, and regularly communicate your company’s values and priorities. —Allbusiness, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025

Such techniques could be more costly in the long run, increasing the risk of litigation, but avoided the wider uncertainty and damage to morale of a redundancy programme. —Adam Crafton, New York Times, 12 May 2025

As a result, morale has suffered and the town is in need of a positive shift, Dolton resident Myra Rogers said. —Mike Nolan, Chicago Tribune, 10 May 2025

Provide suggestions for improving morale, such as regular spotlights on good work, and the encouragement of peer-to-peer shoutouts. —The Hill, 9 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

in sense 1, from French, from feminine of moral, adjective; in other senses, modification of French moral morale, from moral, adjective

First Known Use

1752, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for morale

• canal
• chorale
• corral
• ghazal
• locale
• royale
• bal
• dal
• gal
• mal
• pal
• sal

Kids Definition

morale

noun

mo·​rale mə-ˈral 

: the mental and emotional condition (as of enthusiasm, spirit, or loyalty) of an individual or a group with regard to a task or goal to be accomplished