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”; 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.

Example Sentences

Hufton says the policy is about morale as much as football.

From BBC • Jun. 9, 2026

Supported by unnamed donors, he offers encouragement and religious-based morale boosts to politicians or their mutual benefactors.

From Salon • Jun. 9, 2026

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

Successful local counterattacks are boosting morale, said the commander of a drone unit in Ukraine’s Presidential Brigade fighting on the southern front.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026

As team captain, I wanted to do more than lead warm-ups and keep morale up.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

Related Words

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