Phrases of Virtue, Dilemma, and Judgment: A Moral Lexicon
From virtue to vice, phrases that shape our moral world. Since 2021, I have been compiling a list of phrases that relate to morality and ethical thought, drawn from my reading across academic, literary, and popular sources. I only collect what I actually encounter, I do not create or hypothesize them. This approach keeps my list authentic and grounded in real usage. It also means my list serves as a kind of “field notes” of moral language in action, which makes it especially valuable for reference or study.
The purpose of this collection is not to provide exhaustive definitions but to capture the ways writers and thinkers express moral concepts, dilemmas, virtues, failings, and reflections. Organized thematically, this list highlights patterns in language that illuminate how morality is discussed, evaluated, and experienced. It is intended as a reference and a tool for reflection, study, or writing, offering a snapshot of recurring moral ideas and expressions over time.
1. Core Moral Qualities / Virtues
- good moral character
- moral backbone
- moral compass
- moral courage
- moral duty
- moral fiber
- moral identity
- moral integrity
- moral moment
- moral resolve
- moral self-concept
- moral sense
- moral stamina
2. Moral Failings / Weaknesses
- impossible moral conditions
- moral callowness
- moral collapse
- moral cowardice
- moral decay
- moral destruction
- moral harm
- moral hypocrisy
- moral lessons
- moral paralysis
- moral rot
- morally broken
- morally dubious
- morally inappropriate
- morally fraught
- twisted morals
3. Moral Challenges / Dilemmas
- lived moral struggle
- moral anxiety
- moral challenges
- moral dilemma
- moral gymnastics
- moral inevitability
- moral inversion
- moral issues
- moral of the story
- moral quandary
- moral threshold
4. Moral Judgments / Social Evaluation
- moral authority
- moral censure
- moral grandstanding
- moral guidance
- moral mob
- moral odium
- moral outrage
- moral opprobrium
- moral oversight
- moral panic
- moral posturing
- moral sanction
- moral scrutiny
5. Moral Theory / Reflection / Philosophy
- droit moral
- moral absolutes
- moral considerations
- moral deliberation
- moral discovery
- moral education
- moral imagination
- moral imperatives
- moral philosophy / moral philosopher
- moral standards / rules that make us human
- moral systems
- moral theologians
- performative morality
6. Moral Outcomes / Effects
- moral creation
- moral economy of retribution
- moral enterprise
- moral grandeur
- moral repair
- moral survival
- moral vacuum
- moral victory
7. Moral Contexts / Situations
- a moral nation
- moral abyss
- moral and political hygiene
- moral edge
- moral fables
- moral high ground
- moral language
- moral silence of science