moral authority
Americannoun
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moral authorities
plural
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authority that comes from the principles of what is right and wrong rather than just from laws.
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the quality of being considered trustworthy and influential regarding what is right and is wrong.
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a person or institution considered trustworthy and influential regarding what is right and is wrong.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Armed with an eloquent, righteous fury, he speaks to journalists with a stirring moral authority.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026
More than that, allies add legitimacy and moral authority.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026
An ICJ opinion is not legally binding, but the court believes it carries "great legal weight and moral authority".
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2025
We could still claim some moral authority as the leader of what we then referred to as the “free world,” however compromised or imperfect our actions were.
From Salon ● Aug. 10, 2025
She was considered the moral authority of the community.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
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