moral authority
noun
: trustworthiness to make decisions that are right and good
The scandal has undermined the government's moral authority.
Examples of moral authority in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Gomez succeeded longtime Cardinal Roger Mahony, whose handling of the scandal drew fierce criticism and undercut his moral authority as one of America’s most prominent Roman Catholic leaders.
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Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2024
The State of Missouri, backed by the imprudent negligence of the federal government, took a life that wasn’t theirs and with no moral authority.
—Brea Baker, refinery29.com, 1 Oct. 2024
The actress never fully manages to connect the dots, and Robyn’s journey from abrasive housemate to concerned, moral authority is muddled at best.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 13 Sep. 2024
This failure to act was a failure of leadership and moral authority.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for moral authority 
Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2024
The State of Missouri, backed by the imprudent negligence of the federal government, took a life that wasn’t theirs and with no moral authority.
—Brea Baker, refinery29.com, 1 Oct. 2024
The actress never fully manages to connect the dots, and Robyn’s journey from abrasive housemate to concerned, moral authority is muddled at best.
—Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 13 Sep. 2024
This failure to act was a failure of leadership and moral authority.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for moral authority
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'moral authority.' 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 moral authority
Cite this Entry
“Moral authority.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moral%20authority. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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