MORALIZE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does moralize mean? 

• MORALIZE (verb)
  The verb MORALIZE has 3 senses:

1. interpret the moral meaning of

2. speak as if delivering a sermon; express moral judgements

3. improve the morals of

  Familiarity information: MORALIZE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MORALIZE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they moralize    ... he / she / it moralizes   
Past simple: moralized   
Past participle: moralized   
-ing form: moralizing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Interpret the moral meaning of

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

moralise; moralize

Context example:

moralize a story

Hypernyms (to "moralize" is one way to...):

interpret; rede (give an interpretation or explanation to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Speak as if delivering a sermon; express moral judgements

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

moralise; moralize; preachify; sermonise; sermonize

Context example:

This man always sermonizes

Hypernyms (to "moralize" is one way to...):

advocate; preach (speak, plead, or argue in favor of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue moralize

Derivation:

moralization; moralizing (indulgence in moral pronouncements; the exposition (often superficially) of a particular moral code)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Improve the morals of

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

moralise; moralize

Hypernyms (to "moralize" is one way to...):

reclaim; rectify; reform; regenerate (bring, lead, or force to abandon a wrong or evil course of life, conduct, and adopt a right one)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

moralization (the act of making moral (or more moral))

 Context examples 

But I forget that I am moralizing in the most interesting part of my tale, and your looks remind me to proceed.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

But he did not moralize long.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

"'Prunes and prisms' are my doom, and I may as well make up my mind to it. I came here to moralize, not to hear things that make me skip to think of."

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

From such a moralizing strain as this, she was suddenly roused by a touch on the shoulder, and turning round, perceived Mrs. Hughes directly behind her, attended by Miss Tilney and a gentleman.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Mary was obliged to mix more with the world, but she could still moralize over every morning visit; and as she was no longer mortified by comparisons between her sisters' beauty and her own, it was suspected by her father that she submitted to the change without much reluctance.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

A ball itself could not have been more welcome to Catherine than this little excursion, so strong was her desire to be acquainted with Woodston; and her heart was still bounding with joy when Henry, about an hour afterwards, came booted and greatcoated into the room where she and Eleanor were sitting, and said, I am come, young ladies, in a very moralizing strain, to observe that our pleasures in this world are always to be paid for, and that we often purchase them at a great disadvantage, giving ready-monied actual happiness for a draft on the future, that may not be honoured.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)