morale

noun

mo·​rale mə-ˈral 

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

The brisk pace of crime-solving leaves more time for this episode to stretch out a bit with the ongoing plot strands of Captain Wagner’s concerns about workplace morale and his team’s perception of him as a leader, and Kaya and Elsbeth’s friendship. —Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2024

Even more concerning, nearly 40% say election tensions have affected productivity and morale. —Cheryl Robinson, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

The light-hearted gesture brought plenty of laughs, highlighting how humor can boost morale in an office setting. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024

Physical and emotional changes will boost your morale. —Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 4 Nov. 2024

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

Kids Definition

morale

noun

mo·​rale mə-ˈral 

: 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