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moral sense

American  

noun

  1. the ability to determine the rightness or wrongness of actions.


Etymology

Origin of moral sense

First recorded in 1690–1700


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.

See Examples For:

Yet Ford continued to publicize his “victory,” and in a practical if not a moral sense he proved his point.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

But then neither is Kate; she has a good enough moral sense to pass as a hero, but the exquisite tension of “The Diplomat” is almost always between the lesser of two evils.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 11, 2025

Withdrawing funding for a promising experimental vaccine makes no financial or moral sense.

From Salon ● Oct. 11, 2025

Ms. John, who had a strong moral sense and whose nickname was Able Mable, he added, also did her best to steer the band away from the temptations of the road.

From New York Times ● Sep. 10, 2022

We would not defend ourselves in a legal sense so much as in a moral sense.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

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