Meaning & use
double moral
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Meaning
nouncountablerare
A situation in which two different moral lessons or principles seem to apply at the same time, often in conflict.
Grammar: Countable: 'a double moral', 'double morals'.
Patterns
- have a double moral
- a double moral to a story
- a double moral standard
The fable seems to have a double moral: be honest, but also be clever.
Some critics see a double moral in the film, praising loyalty while rewarding betrayal.
His argument rests on a double moral that cannot be easily resolved.
Word forms
| plural | double morals |
|---|
Common combinations
- a double moral standard
- They accused the company of applying a double moral standard.
- have a double moral
- The story has a double moral that puzzles young readers.
- point to a double moral
- The ending points to a double moral about love and duty.
Synonyms and how they differ
- double standard
- A double standard means applying stricter rules to others than to yourself; a double moral means two moral lessons that coexist, often uneasily.
Commonly confused: double moral or double standard?
double moral vs double standard
A double standard is about unfair treatment of different people; a double moral is about two moral lessons or principles in a story or argument.
Practice
What does 'double moral' most commonly refer to?
Choose one answer.
A double moral means two moral lessons or principles that seem to apply at once, often in conflict. The other options describe different ideas.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “double moral”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.