moral courage
Standing for right
Moral courage is the willingness to do what's right despite social consequences—disapproval, ridicule, ostracism, or professional harm.
It differs from physical courage in that the threat isn't bodily danger but reputational or relational cost.
Whistleblowers and dissenters often need moral courage more than physical bravery: It took moral courage to speak up when everyone else stayed silent.
- integrityMoral soundness and consistency
- personal integrityAdherence to ethical standards
- braveryBoldness before danger
- fortitudeEnduring courage under pain
- heroismExceptional courage under duress
conscience · doing the right thing · resilience · justice · selflessness · accountability · valor · conscientious objection · ethics · ethical dilemmas · martyrdom · conviction · resoluteness · against the grain · intrepidness · honesty · whistleblowing · civil disobedience
- moralityethics, right and wrong, conscience, ethical principles, ethical standards
- candorfrankness, directness, bluntness, candor, straightforwardness
- couragebravery, resilience, fearlessness, boldness, valor
- heroismbravery, valor, hero, heroism, sacrifice
- honorhonor, honor code, code of honor, personal honor, word of honor
- integrityintegrity, honesty, truthfulness, uprightness, rectitude
moral couragecowardice
Absence of bravery
spinelessness · cravenness · pusillanimity · faintheartedness · timidity
moral courageconformity
Adherence to norms
complicity · going along to get along · sycophancy · acquiescence · appeasement
moral couragemoral turpitude
Inherently vile conduct
dishonor · yellow-bellied · gutlessness · lily-livered · weak-kneed
courage, moral, immoral, morality, morals, mores, morally, immorality, moralizing