moralising

Moralising refers to the act of expressing judgments about others' conduct according to a set of moral standards and seeking to persuade, admonish, or shape behavior accordingly. It can take the form of direct criticism, preaching, shaming, or insinuation, and may be delivered in a tone that is confident, self-righteous, or condescending. The aim is typically to reveal a breach of norms or to reinforce shared values by arguing about what people ought to do or refrain from doing.

The term derives from the verb moralise, from Old French moraliser and ultimately from Latin moralis, meaning relating to morals. In everyday use, moralising appears across contexts such as family life, the workplace, religious or secular discourse, and politics. It is often criticized when perceived as self-righteous, intrusive, or hypocritical, especially when it overlooks legitimate complexities or power dynamics.

Distinguishing features include a focus on judgement rather than dialogue. Moral guidance or moral suasion, by contrast, aims to inform and persuade while inviting discussion or voluntary compliance, rather than delivering a verdict. Moralising can be productive when it highlights harms, injustices, or ethical duties, but it can become counterproductive if it shuts down conversation or shames individuals.

Some scholars discuss related concepts like moral grandstanding and virtue signaling, which describe attempts to display moral concern for social approval rather than for genuine ethical improvement. In public discourse, the line between constructive ethical critique and gratuitous moralising is often contested and context-dependent.