moralism
noun
mor·al·ism
ˈmȯr-ə-ˌli-zəm 
ˈmär-
1
a
: the habit or practice of moralizing
b
: a conventional moral attitude or saying
2
: an often exaggerated emphasis on morality (as in politics)
Examples of moralism in a Sentence
The candidate's campaign was doomed by an incessant moralism that came across as condescension.
Recent Examples on the Web
That roughing in of a few sharper edges parallels the addition of Victorian moralism to the animal world.
—
Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2024
And, along with its hearty sentiment, Cukor delivers a strong repudiation of provincial American moralism.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2024
The results in places like Burundi, Iraq, and Rwanda were often short-lived and ultimately led to bloodshed.
Avoiding the hard sell will require that liberal states and activists tone down their legalism, moralism, and universalism.
—Jack Snyder, Foreign Affairs, 21 July 2022
Liberal states and activists must tone down their legalism, moralism, and universalism.
—Jack Snyder, Foreign Affairs, 21 July 2022
American culture, after all, tends to treat sleep less as a matter of morality than as an outlet for haphazard moralism.
—Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 12 Oct. 2023
The ethical axis contrasts Ephraim’s rigid Protestant moralism and austerity with Nicholas’s arrogant amorality, which is given a florid, quasi-Nietzschean or even Randian tinge.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2023
But George Eliot was intensely sincere in both her agnosticism and her moralism.
—James Wood, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023
There is obviously nothing wrong with living a moral life or encouraging others to do so, but when moralism becomes a substitute for serious political thought, then there is a problem.
—Will Stephenson, Harper's Magazine, 16 Aug. 2023
Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 8 Apr. 2024
And, along with its hearty sentiment, Cukor delivers a strong repudiation of provincial American moralism.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2024
The results in places like Burundi, Iraq, and Rwanda were often short-lived and ultimately led to bloodshed.
Avoiding the hard sell will require that liberal states and activists tone down their legalism, moralism, and universalism.
—Jack Snyder, Foreign Affairs, 21 July 2022
Liberal states and activists must tone down their legalism, moralism, and universalism.
—Jack Snyder, Foreign Affairs, 21 July 2022
American culture, after all, tends to treat sleep less as a matter of morality than as an outlet for haphazard moralism.
—Megan Garber, The Atlantic, 12 Oct. 2023
The ethical axis contrasts Ephraim’s rigid Protestant moralism and austerity with Nicholas’s arrogant amorality, which is given a florid, quasi-Nietzschean or even Randian tinge.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2023
But George Eliot was intensely sincere in both her agnosticism and her moralism.
—James Wood, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023
There is obviously nothing wrong with living a moral life or encouraging others to do so, but when moralism becomes a substitute for serious political thought, then there is a problem.
—Will Stephenson, Harper's Magazine, 16 Aug. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'moralism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near moralism
Cite this Entry
“Moralism.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moralism. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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