What’s the Difference Between “Moral” and “Morale”?
Moral can function as an adjective or a noun and has to do with the principles of what is good and bad. Morale only functions as a noun and refers to the mental state concerning confidence and enthusiasm that a person or group is experiencing.
- ○ I was experiencing a moral dilemma: Should I tell the truth and get my partner in trouble or lie to protect her?
- ○ The team’s morale was high. They were confident they were going to win the tournament.
“Morale” vs. “Moral”
When it comes to spelling and vocabulary, how is your morale? Are you confident that your knowledge is expansive enough to know the difference between similarly spelled words like morale and moral?
If yes, great! If not, don’t worry about it; we’re here to help. First, we’re going to teach you the distinctions between morale and moral. Then, we will share a little secret that’ll help you with spelling. Intrigued? Keep reading!
“Morale”—Meaning and Examples
Morale is only ever used as a noun. It means “the mental and emotional condition (with respect to confidence and enthusiasm) that an individual or group is experiencing.”
Imagine that you’re competing in a spelling bee. You’re winning round after round. In this case, your morale is high. You’re feeling good, confident, and enthusiastic about winning the whole thing. Your competitors, on the other hand, are probably experiencing low morale from losing to you so many times.
That zeal and optimism you’re feeling? That’s morale.
The coach had to figure out a way to improve the team’s morale after losing three games in a row.
He was confident in his artwork. Getting third place did not affect his morale at all.
The troop’s morale was at an all-time high when they learned they’d be going home soon.
“Moral”—Meaning and Examples
Moral can be both an adjective and a noun.
As an adjective, moral concerns “the judgment of what is right or wrong human behavior.” If someone says you’re a moral person, that means you follow the rules of what is widely accepted as right conduct.
He led a very moral life and spent years helping underprivileged children.
When used as a noun, moral refers to those same standards and principles that establish what is right (or good) behavior.
His morals were questionable, to say the least.
Additionally, as a noun, moral also refers to the central teaching or practical lesson in an experience, story, movie, etc.
The moral of the story is that good things often take time.
Boost Your Morale
When it comes to these two similarly spelled words, remember: Morals center around doing good, while morale refers to feeling good.
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Don’t worry, using this advanced writing tool doesn’t go against any morals. In fact, it’ll actually help increase your morale in writing, so give it a try.
