moralistic
adjective
mor·al·is·tic
ˌmȯr-ə-ˈli-stik 
ˌmär-
1
: characterized by or expressive of a concern with morality
2
: characterized by or expressive of a narrow moral attitude
Synonyms
Examples of moralistic in a Sentence
While a moralistic speech won't convince kids not to try drugs, a story about people affected by drugs might.
parental opinion was divided on the school's moralistic curriculum
Recent Examples on the Web
These are not virtues in a moralistic sense but, rather, habits of excellence inspired by definitions from ancient philosophy.
—
Sarah Elk, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
The shadowy promise of deep melodrama paired with that high-contrast visual melancholy that’s ideal for the moralistic extremes of the 1940s is timelessly alluring.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 26 July 2024
But while the backlash against WADA and the IOC over the Chinese doping saga has been viewed in some parts of the world as a shrill and moralistic American crusade, Australia’s Stubblety-Cook delivered what was arguably the most powerful statement by an athlete yet over the handling of the case.
—Dave Sheinin, Washington Post, 25 July 2024
But human folly, served without moralistic garnish, stays funny forever.
—Mark Gimein, theweek, 14 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for moralistic 
Sarah Elk, Forbes, 10 Oct. 2024
The shadowy promise of deep melodrama paired with that high-contrast visual melancholy that’s ideal for the moralistic extremes of the 1940s is timelessly alluring.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 26 July 2024
But while the backlash against WADA and the IOC over the Chinese doping saga has been viewed in some parts of the world as a shrill and moralistic American crusade, Australia’s Stubblety-Cook delivered what was arguably the most powerful statement by an athlete yet over the handling of the case.
—Dave Sheinin, Washington Post, 25 July 2024
But human folly, served without moralistic garnish, stays funny forever.
—Mark Gimein, theweek, 14 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for moralistic
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'moralistic.' 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 moralistic
Cite this Entry
“Moralistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moralistic. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
moralistic
adjective
mor·al·is·tic
ˌmȯr-ə-ˈlis-tik
ˌmär-
1
: teaching or pointing out morals
a moralistic story
2
: having or expressing a conservative moral attitude
a moralistic attitude toward the problems of youth
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