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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.

See Examples For:

Though the outcomes encoded here are colored by midcentury manners, they are surprisingly daring and averse to sedate moralism.

From The Wall Street Journal Nov. 14, 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

We are human supremacists whose vanity and moralism and tortured ambivalence make us uniquely unhappy and destructive.

From New York Times Dec. 23, 2020

“She wanted to go beneath moralism to something deeper, to sacrificial love,” said Munroe, now 73 and retired.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 5, 2020

The moralism of Beethoven in notes is a continual song in praise of Rousseau, the antique French, and Schiller.

From Human, All-Too-Human, Part II by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

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