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.
She said the audience member had broken the rules and "ruined the morale of our wonderful eighth show on a Saturday night from selfish actions".
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
Tan has also made sweeping changes to management and priorities, many of which have boosted morale and instilled more confidence in customers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
“The mood in the country was somber; morale was low,” recalled Aquino, who attended the World Cups in South Africa in 2010, Brazil in 2014 and Qatar in 2022.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2026
Brace yourself for more tech-price zaniness until morale improves.
From Slate ● Jul. 2, 2026
As team captain, I wanted to do more than lead warm-ups and keep morale up.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
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.
