moral imperative
Must do right
A moral imperative is an action or principle that ethical duty demands—something you must do because it's right, not because it's convenient or advantageous.
The phrase carries weight in arguments: Ending child hunger isn't just good policy; it's a moral imperative.
Unlike legal obligations, moral imperatives appeal to conscience rather than law.
Required moral task
- obligationRequired task or commitment
- conscienceInternal moral sense
- responsibilityState of being answerable
- righteousnessMoral correctness or virtue
integrity · virtue · justice · principles · honor · rectitude · probity · decency
Direct effort for reform
- advocacyPleading for a cause
- solidarityUnity among allies
- stewardshipResponsible care of entrusted things
- citizenshipStatus as state member
volunteerism · community · charity · welfare · service · equality · equity · compassion
duty
Required moral task
- obligationRequired task or commitment
- conscienceInternal moral sense
- responsibilityState of being answerable
righteousness · integrity · virtue · justice · principles · honor · rectitude · probity · decency · uprightness
activism
Direct effort for reform
- advocacyPleading for a cause
- solidarityUnity among allies
- stewardshipResponsible care of entrusted things
citizenship · volunteerism · community · charity · welfare · service · equality · equity · compassion · philanthropy
- philosophyethics, logic, metaphysics, ontology, epistemology
moral imperativeoptional
Not mandatory
elective · discretionary · voluntary · nice-to-have · recommendation
moral imperativeself-interest
Concern for personal advantage
expediency · expedience · political expediency · realpolitik · convenience
moral imperativeforbidden act
Banned behavior
ethical violation · sin · transgression · abomination · moral transgression
moral, morality, morale, mores, imperative, morally, immorality, moralizing, moralize