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.
Under Sorrells, morale at the office is bleak and has resulted in an exodus, according to two veteran prosecutors who left the office and spoke on the condition they not be identified. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026 Staff morale is low amid the drip-drip of redundancy announcements, which follows the BBC’s workforce contracting by 10% since 2020. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2026 Russian missiles and drones have pummeled Ukraine’s power grid and other key sites, part of Kremlin efforts to weaken morale and resistance. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026 In McDonnell, his supporters say, the mayor has an honest and principled leader who has managed to steady a department beset by low morale, dwindling staffing levels and aging facilities. — Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026 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 27 Oct. 2026.

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

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