moralist

American  

[mawr-uh-list, mor-] / ˈmɔr ə lɪst, ˈmɒr- /

noun

1. a person who teaches or inculcates morality.

2. a philosopher concerned with the principles of morality.

3. a person who practices morality.

4. a person concerned with regulating the morals of others, as by imposing censorship.

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moralist British  

/ ˈmɒrəlɪst /

noun

1. a person who seeks to regulate the morals of others or to imbue others with a sense of morality

2. a person who lives in accordance with moral principles

3. a philosopher who is concerned with casuistic discussions of right action, or who seeks a general characterization of right action, often contrasted with a moral philosopher whose concern is with general philosophical questions about ethics

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Other Word Forms

• antimoralist noun
• moralistic adjective
• moralistically adverb

Etymology

Origin of moralist

First recorded in 1615–25; moral + -ist

Example Sentences

His most “persistent hater,” the pompous moralist Cato the Censor, railed at Scipio’s unseemly pride and alleged corruption.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 16, 2025

That law was spearheaded by Anthony Comstock, a Christian moralist activist and head of the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice.

From Scientific American • Apr. 28, 2023

Mr. Johnson’s reputation as a Tory moralist suffered a setback when his own failings were exposed.

From New York Times • Jan. 12, 2023

A museum curator and artist with an affinity for opera, Patrick stands in contrast to the character of Tom, a simple-minded moralist torn between his sexual impulses and his regressive social views.

From Washington Post • Oct. 19, 2022

It is a complete though common mistake to suppose that the business of the moralist is merely to explain the genesis of certain feelings we possess.

From History of European Morals From Augustus to Charlemagne (Vol. 1 of 2) by Lecky, William Edward Hartpole