moral compass

American  

[mawr-uhl kuhm-puhs, mor‐] / ˈmɔr əl ˈkʌm pəs, ˈmɒr‐ /

noun

moral compasses plural

1. an internalized set of values and objectives that guide a person with regard to ethical behavior and decision-making.

   a rebellious teenager without a moral compass.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• moral compasses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of moral compass

First recorded in 1840–45

Example Sentences

The more Mary affords grace to others, the more she gains confidence in who she is, as a person with a strong moral compass forged away from her mother’s ambitions.

From Salon • Jun. 25, 2026

"Martian was once idealistic and full of hope, then his moral compass gets eroded by the things he has to do and the sacrifices that go into it."

From BBC • Jun. 20, 2026

“The Europeans were perceived to have high respect for international law and a strong moral compass, so it was like getting the international stamp of approval. So we actually cared for that legitimacy,” she said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026

After two years of dating Marty, a cute roller hockey player with an unwavering moral compass, I knew I wanted to have a child with him.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2025

Hence, a man's opinion may be for him invaluable, the needle of his moral compass, always pointing to the truth whence it issued, and whose form it is.

From A Dish of Orts : Chiefly Papers on the Imagination, and on Shakespeare by MacDonald, George