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
This failure to act was a failure of leadership and moral authority.
—
Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2024
An advisory opinion is not legally binding but carries moral authority and can shape international law, according to the ICJ.
—Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN, 19 July 2024
Trump’s Republican defenders had suggested a Hunter Biden conviction would dilute Democrats’ moral authority in prosecuting a public case against Trump.
—David Mark, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 14 June 2024
But each became in his own era a moral authority for the thinking part of Russian society.
—Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 17 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for moral authority 
Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 4 Aug. 2024
An advisory opinion is not legally binding but carries moral authority and can shape international law, according to the ICJ.
—Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN, 19 July 2024
Trump’s Republican defenders had suggested a Hunter Biden conviction would dilute Democrats’ moral authority in prosecuting a public case against Trump.
—David Mark, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 14 June 2024
But each became in his own era a moral authority for the thinking part of Russian society.
—Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 17 May 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 12 Sep. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share