morale

[ muh-ral ]

noun

1. emotional or mental condition with respect to cheerfulness, confidence, zeal, etc., especially in the face of opposition, hardship, etc.:

   the morale of the troops.

morale

/ mɒˈrɑːl /

noun

1. the degree of mental or moral confidence of a person or group; spirit of optimism

Word History and Origins

Origin of morale¹

First recorded in 1745–55; from French, noun use of feminine of moral “custom”; moral

Word History and Origins

Origin of morale¹

C18: morals, from French, n. use of moral (adj)

Example Sentences

The stock was finally recovering in those early days, but staff morale wasn’t.

From Fortune

“If people are going to be fired because of low morale, it starts at the top,” he said, in reference to Pompeo.

From Washington Post

Cooper with American Postal Workers Union said employee morale is low and despite years of financial struggles, he has never seen a situation more dire.

From Voice of San Diego

As workplaces become increasingly distributed, leaders will need to take into account how the arrangement of teams will impact productivity and, more importantly, what it will do to long-term employee morale and well-being.

From Quartz

Such imagery must have played its psychological role in bolstering the morale of many spiritual Crusaders.

From Realm of History

James brought little in the way of survival skills, but his companionship at night raised the team morale.

From The Daily Beast

It does, in my experience, have an effect on agency morale, and that affects performance at some level.

From The Daily Beast

That announcement dealt a huge blow to our morale internally and to the case that we made to minority voters externally.

From The Daily Beast

Itani told me that news of the letter was awful for the morale of the opposition forces.

From The Daily Beast

The emails will continue, in other words, until morale improves.

From The Daily Beast

Thus it was that he himself created the morale which enabled him again and again to conquer against overwhelming odds.

From Project Gutenberg

You think it's going to do morale here any good to have four dead men floating alongside where everyone can see them?

From Project Gutenberg

The meanness, the squalor, the degradation of his morale and life are not discernible in his works.

From Project Gutenberg

Meanwhile, I checked almost hourly with Survey Section, hoping for good news to consolidate the improved morale situation.

From Project Gutenberg

The action had a depressing effect on Union morale but greatly boosted that of the Confederates.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• attitude
• mood
• resolve
• self-confidence
• spirit