moralize

B2 Topic:Actions & Processes

Also spelled moralised and moralising

US /ˈmɔːr.ə.laɪz/ UK /ˈmɒr.ə.laɪz/ See IPA manual

Freq #92559

Meanings

1

verb
to make comments or judgments about right and wrong, often in a self-righteous or tedious way

The narrator pauses to moralize about ambition and vanity.
2

verb
to draw out or explain the moral lesson of a story or event

The teacher asked the class to discuss the fable without moralizing it too quickly.
3

verb
to improve or reform the moral character of someone or something

The campaign claimed that education would moralize public life.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to make comments or... preach sermonize lecture

2 verb · to draw out or explain the... interpret expound

3 verb · to improve or reform the... reform uplift

Opposites

corrupt demoralize

Word family

Forms moralized

Derived forms moralizationmoralizermoralizing

Related forms moral morality

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French moraliser and equivalent to moral + -ize. Moral ultimately comes from Latin moralis, 'concerning conduct or customs,' from mos, moris, 'custom.'

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# moralize

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈmɔːr.ə.laɪz/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈmɒr.ə.laɪz/
**Frequency rank:** 92559

## Meanings
1. to make comments or judgments about right and wrong, often in a self-righteous or tedious way
2. to draw out or explain the moral lesson of a story or event
3. to improve or reform the moral character of someone or something

## Examples
- The narrator pauses to moralize about ambition and vanity.
- The teacher asked the class to discuss the fable without moralizing it too quickly.
- The campaign claimed that education would moralize public life.

## Synonyms
- preach
- sermonize
- lecture

## Antonyms
- corrupt
- demoralize

## Derived Forms
- moralization
- moralizer
- moralizing

## Related Forms
- moral
- morality

## Etymology
Borrowed from Old French moraliser and equivalent to moral + -ize. Moral ultimately comes from Latin moralis, 'concerning conduct or customs,' from mos, moris, 'custom.'

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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