moral sense: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Academic
Quick answer
What does “moral sense” mean?
An innate human faculty for distinguishing right from wrong.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An innate human faculty for distinguishing right from wrong; an intuitive feeling about what is ethical or proper.
The capacity to make ethical judgments based on principles of fairness, justice, and compassion; often discussed in philosophy and psychology as a foundation for ethical behaviour.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. The concept is discussed identically in both varieties.
Connotations
Slightly more associated with philosophical tradition (e.g., Scottish Enlightenment) in UK academic contexts. In US contexts, may have stronger links to public discourse on character and values.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in academic and formal writing in both varieties. Rare in casual conversation.
Grammar
How to Use “moral sense” in a Sentence
have a moral senseappeal to [someone]'s moral sensedevelop a moral senselack a moral senseVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “moral sense” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The philosopher argued that we moral-sense our way through dilemmas.
American English
- Some theorists suggest we can moral-sense an ethical solution intuitively.
adverb
British English
- He decided moral-sensely, without lengthy deliberation.
American English
- She acted moral-sensely, following her gut feeling about right and wrong.
adjective
British English
- The moral-sense theory was prominent in the 18th century.
American English
- She took a moral-sense approach to the ethical problem.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in discussions of corporate ethics or leadership philosophy.
Academic
Common in philosophy, psychology, ethics, and law papers discussing the origins of ethical judgment.
Everyday
Very rare in casual conversation. Might be used in serious discussions about character or upbringing.
Technical
Used in moral psychology and ethical philosophy as a theoretical construct.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “moral sense”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “moral sense”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “moral sense”
- Using 'moral sense' to mean 'common sense about morals' (too simplistic). Confusing it with 'moral reasoning' (which is more deliberative).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are closely related. 'Conscience' often implies a more active, judgmental voice, while 'moral sense' is the foundational capacity for ethical perception.
In philosophical and psychological discourse, it is generally considered a stable capacity, though it can be ignored, suppressed, or underdeveloped.
It is usually uncountable (e.g., 'a lack of moral sense'). It can be countable when referring to individual instances or types of this faculty in a technical sense.
The 18th-century philosophers of the Scottish Enlightenment, such as Francis Hutcheson and David Hume, are most associated with developing 'moral sense theory'.
An innate human faculty for distinguishing right from wrong.
Moral sense is usually formal, academic in register.
Moral sense: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmɒr.əl ˌsens/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɔːr.əl ˌsens/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A moral sense is like an inner compass.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
MORAL SENSE: Think of MORALS + a sixth SENSE for detecting right and wrong.
Conceptual Metaphor
MORAL SENSE IS A COMPASS / MORAL SENSE IS A VOICE.
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'moral sense' most commonly used?