morale
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of morale
First recorded in 1745–55; from French, noun use of feminine of moral “custom”; see origin at moral
Explanation
Morale is the spirit a group has that makes them want to succeed. It's a sense of well-being that comes from confidence, usefulness, and purpose. We often talk about the morale of groups in tough situations, and we can describe them as having "good morale" or "low morale." If too many members of a combat unit are killed and the surviving soldiers start to doubt they’ll make it home alive, then their morale is very very low. We can also talk about individual morale. In order to succeed, a sailor on a solo trip around the world needs plenty of ways to keep her morale up.
Vocabulary lists containing morale
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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The Things They Carried
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Stargirl
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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.
German business morale unexpectedly increased in May, a survey showed Friday, raising hopes Europe's biggest economy is weathering the Iran war energy shock better than feared.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
After years of collective hand-wringing over declining local film and television production, Hollywood recently experienced a morale boost: increased state subsidies, including tax incentives and reduced filming fees, seem to be working.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
Blanck’s return has been a morale boost to Pacific Palisades, which is still a giant construction zone.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
Inspectors highlighted staff shortages, low morale, a failure to investigate and learn from incidents and delays to performing C-sections and inductions.
From BBC • May 11, 2026
Coming on top of the victory at Stalingrad, the honor of being made a Guards regiment must have been a fine boost for the night bombers’ morale.
From "A Thousand Sisters" by Elizabeth Wein
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
