Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

moralism

American  
[mawr-uh-liz-uhm, mor-] / ˈmɔr əˌlɪz əm, ˈmɒr- /

noun

  1. the habit of moralizing.

  2. a moral maxim.

  3. emphasis, especially undue emphasis, on morality.

  4. the practice of morality, as distinct from religion.


moralism British  
/ ˈmɒrəˌlɪzəm /

noun

  1. the habit or practice of moralizing

  2. a moral saying

  3. the practice of moral principles without reference to religion

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of moralism

First recorded in 1820–30; moral + -ism

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.

“The biggest change is moving from climate moralism into climate realism,” said Yair Reem, partner at Extantia Capital, a Berlin-based VC firm.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 30, 2025

Born in Virginia and educated in history and political science at Johns Hopkins University, Wilson became a respected intellectual in his fields with an interest in public service and a profound sense of moralism.

From Textbooks • Jul. 28, 2021

Stabler is actually married — his wife, Kathy, a beleaguered but supportive high-school sweetheart — and comes to his job with old-school morals and white-knight moralism: defender of the weak with a notoriously short fuse.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2021

And he seems less driven by moralism than bound by legalism.

From Washington Post • May 24, 2019

In them a religious and realistic idea takes the place of the moralism of the Apologists, namely, the deifying of the human race through the incarnation of the Son of God.

From History of Dogma, Volume 2 (of 7) by Buchanan, Neil

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "moralism" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com