1
: moral principles, teachings, or conduct
2
a
: the mental and emotional condition (as of enthusiasm, confidence, or loyalty) of an individual or group with regard to the function or tasks at hand
The team's morale is high.
b
: a sense of common purpose with respect to a group : esprit de corps
The ship's morale improved after two days of shore leave.
3
: the level of individual psychological well-being based on such factors as a sense of purpose and confidence in the future
The failure of his play did not affect his morale.

Examples of morale in a Sentence

The team is playing well and their morale is high. The President's speech boosted the morale of the troops.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Clear communication prevents confusion, strengthens morale and keeps everyone rowing in the same direction. Jason Ballard, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025 Trump has expressed increasing frustration with Putin over Russia’s escalating strikes on civilian areas of Ukraine, intended to erode morale and public appetite for the war. Michelle L. Price, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2025 How managers address these concerns can make or break team morale and productivity. Sharon Wu, USA Today, 5 Aug. 2025 His close friend, Emerson Palmieri, an Italy international who was born in Brazil, was keen to arrange a night out to boost morale. Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for morale

Word History

Etymology

in sense 1, from French, from feminine of moral, adjective; in other senses, modification of French moral morale, from moral, adjective

First Known Use

1752, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of morale was in 1752

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Morale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/morale. Accessed 14 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

: the mental and emotional condition (as of enthusiasm, spirit, or loyalty) of an individual or a group with regard to a task or goal to be accomplished

More from Merriam-Webster on morale

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!