morale

American  

[muh-ral] / məˈræl /

noun

1. emotional or mental condition with respect to cheerfulness, confidence, zeal, etc., especially in the face of opposition, hardship, etc..

   the morale of the troops.

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morale British  

/ mɒˈrɑːl /

noun

1. the degree of mental or moral confidence of a person or group; spirit of optimism

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Etymology

Origin of morale

First recorded in 1745–55; from French, noun use of feminine of moral “custom”; 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.

Example Sentences

Voices from across the military tout humble, dignified professionalism as essential to morale and project confidence from leadership down through the ranks.

From Slate • Apr. 13, 2026

The company’s recent CEO transition hasn’t helped investor morale either, he noted.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

The attacks hurt rank-and-file morale and drove some security forces to begin sleeping in their vehicles, mosques or other sports facilities, Israel’s assessment said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

Douce argued that morale among staff at the parks — a string of 63 federally protected natural wonders often described as “America’s best idea” — has never been lower.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 14, 2026

The government outfitted the development with the perks that it felt were key to keeping home-front morale high.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

Related Words

• attitude
• mood
• resolve
• self-confidence
• spirit