¹moral

adjective mor·al \ˈmȯr-əl, ˈmär-\

: concerning or relating to what is right and wrong in human behavior

: based on what you think is right and good

: considered right and good by most people : agreeing with a standard of right behavior

Full Definition of MORAL

a : of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior : ethical <moral judgments>

b : expressing or teaching a conception of right behavior <a moral poem>

c : conforming to a standard of right behavior

d : sanctioned by or operative on one's conscience or ethical judgment <a moral obligation>

e : capable of right and wrong action <a moral agent>

: probable though not proved : virtual <a moral certainty>

: perceptual or psychological rather than tangible or practical in nature or effect <a moral victory> <moral support>

— mor·al·ly \-ə-lē\ adverb

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Examples of MORAL

Nor did these lawyers and bankers walk about suffused with guilt. They had the moral equivalent of teflon on their soul. Church on Sunday, foreclose on Monday. —Norman Mailer, New York Review of Books, 27 March 2002
… trip-wire sensitivity to perceived insult often leads to unjustifiable firings and other moral and legal imbroglios. —John McWhorter, New Republic, 14 Jan. 2002
The modern liberal state was premised on the notion that in the interests of political peace, government would not take sides among the differing moral claims made by religion and traditional culture. —Francis Fukuyama, Atlantic, May 1999
It was our desire for a moral world, the deep wish to assert the existence of goodness, that generated, as it continues to do, political fantasy. —Arthur Miller, Timebends, 1987
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Origin of MORAL

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin moralis, from mor-, mos custom

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to MORAL

Synonyms: all right, decent, ethical, honest, honorable, just, good, nice, right, righteous, right-minded, straight, true, upright, virtuous

Antonyms: bad, black, dishonest, dishonorable, evil, evil-minded, immoral, indecent, sinful, unethical, unrighteous, wicked, wrong

Synonym Discussion of MORAL

moral, ethical, virtuous, righteous, noble mean conforming to a standard of what is right and good. moral implies conformity to established sanctioned codes or accepted notions of right and wrong <the basic moral values of a community>. ethical may suggest the involvement of more difficult or subtle questions of rightness, fairness, or equity <committed to the highest ethical principles>. virtuous implies moral excellence in character <not a religious person, but virtuous nevertheless>. righteous stresses guiltlessness or blamelessness and often suggests the sanctimonious <wished to be righteous before God and the world>. noble implies moral eminence and freedom from anything petty, mean, or dubious in conduct and character <had the noblest of reasons for seeking office>.