moral

/ˈmɒrəl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmɔːrəl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmȯr-əl ˈmär-/ (ame, mw) · /ˈmɒr.əl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmɔːr.əl/ (ame, ipa)

moral — adjective

  • moralpositive
  • more moralcomparative
  • most moralsuperlative

1. relating to the personal principles a person uses to decide whether an action is

1.形容詞B1
釋義

relating to the personal principles a person uses to decide whether an action is good or bad, fair or unfair, right or wrong — ideas that come from inside a person's conscience or values rather than from written laws.

例句

Jude faced a moral dilemma when a friend asked him to lie as an alibi.

moral question — a dilemma about right and wrong

The company paid fair wages based on moral principles, not just on legal requirements.

moral principles — beliefs that guide behaviour

同義詞
  • ethical

    more formal; often used in professional or academic contexts

  • conscientious

    stresses careful attention to doing the right thing

  • principled

    emphasises having a strong, consistent set of values

反義詞
  • immoral

    direct opposite; describes actions or people that go against moral principles

  • unethical

    formal opposite, common in business and professional contexts

文法句型

moral + noun (principle, duty, question, values)

be moral to + verb

用法筆記

Frequently followed by nouns such as 'principle', 'duty', 'obligation', 'choice', or 'question'. Distinguish from sense 2: sense 1 describes the PRINCIPLES themselves; sense 2 describes a PERSON who follows those principles.

常見錯誤

❌It is not moral to park here — you will get a ticket.
✅It is not legal to park here
💡you will get a ticket.' — 'moral' is about right and wrong based on personal values, not about obeying written laws.
❌That is a moral person who lives ethically.
✅She is a moral person who lives ethically.
💡when using 'moral' to describe someone's character (sense 2), make the person the subject; 'moral person' does not mean 'a good example of a person'.

2. behaving in a way that most people in a society would consider honest, fair, and

2.形容詞B1
釋義

behaving in a way that most people in a society would consider honest, fair, and good — for example telling the truth, keeping promises, and choosing not to cheat or harm others.

例句

The community sees Niran as a moral person who never lies or cheats.

moral person — someone who behaves honestly

Emma tries to live a moral life by treating everyone with kindness and respect.

同義詞
  • virtuous

    more formal or literary; emphasises high moral excellence

  • upright

    traditional word for someone who is honest and follows rules

  • decent

    less formal; suggests basic goodness and fairness in daily life

反義詞
  • immoral

    describes a person who deliberately acts against moral standards

  • corrupt

    stronger; suggests dishonesty for personal gain, often in power

文法句型

moral + noun (person, man, woman, life)

be moral

用法筆記

Describes a person's character directly. This sense is the one used when saying someone is 'a moral person'. It is less common in attributive position ('moral man') than the predicative after 'be' or 'seem'. Distinguish from sense 1: sense 2 describes the PERSON; sense 1 describes the PRINCIPLES.

常見錯誤

❌I want to buy a moral car.
✅I want to buy an environmentally friendly car.
💡'moral' only describes people, behaviour, or life choices, not objects.
❌She is more moral than him about homework.
✅She is more careful about completing her homework than him.
💡for everyday tasks that do not involve right/wrong decisions, use a more specific adjective.

moral — noun