morally illegitimate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "morally illegitimate" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe actions, decisions, or practices that are considered unethical or lacking moral justification. Example: "The committee deemed the proposed policy morally illegitimate due to its potential harm to vulnerable populations."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Pressed by University of Pennsylvania professor Claire Finkelstein, Inglis strongly decried Snowden's leaks as illegal and morally illegitimate, but conceded that they have provided NSA with an opportunity "not only to restore trust in a system or a system of practices, but to go forward such that we strengthen the bonds of trust" with the public.

The Guardian

Thus, many of the powers of the modern state are deemed morally illegitimate.

SEP

On the view expressed here this could be a case of corruption, if the legal system in question is able to be segregated into morally legitimate and morally illegitimate fragments, and the judge was operating within the morally legitimate fragment.

SEP

Secrecy is important to illegal activities, but also to morally illegitimate but legal activities that the elites engage in in order to enhance and preserve their undue privileges.

Huffington Post

As a result, the political branches are, practically speaking, allowed to be judges in their own cause, and a state of affairs even more uncertain and more threatening than the state of nature looms -- one in which those bent on pursuing morally illegitimate ends are far more capable of accomplishing them than they would be absent any government at all.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Equating them undermines the prevention of future attacks by giving us permission to ignore the points of view of the attackers, however morally or politically illegitimate they are.

The New York Times

There is general agreement that the wrong concerns the kind of reason or motive that guides the action of the agent of discrimination: the agent is acting on a reason or motive that is in some way illegitimate or morally tainted.

SEP

Fundamentally, Atlantic Yards is politically illegitimate and morally bankrupt.

Huffington Post

Any legal definition of 'rape' implies some correlative idea of what is morally wrong with rape: its illegitimate use of force, its disregard of the victim's nonconsent, and so on.

SEP

Now she's back to sing the title role in Jenufa, Janacek's powerful study of the trauma of love, a portrait of a naive village girl who is sexually and emotionally torn between two brothers and whose illegitimate baby is murdered by her morally rigid foster-mother.

The Guardian

"However just the cause is, there are illegitimate means, and the means that have been used here are illegitimate and morally repugnant," he told Reuters after viewing the destruction for the first time this week.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "morally illegitimate", ensure the context clearly establishes the ethical framework being applied. Specify whose moral standards are being violated for greater clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "morally illegitimate" without specifying the moral framework. What might be considered morally illegitimate in one culture or belief system may be acceptable in another. Providing context prevents misunderstandings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "morally illegitimate" functions as an adjective phrase, typically used to describe actions, decisions, or systems that are considered ethically or morally unacceptable. As indicated by Ludwig AI, it denotes a lack of moral justification.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "morally illegitimate" is a valid and usable term to describe something that lacks moral justification, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. While relatively rare in usage, it effectively conveys disapproval of actions or systems violating ethical principles. It is commonly found in contexts such as news, media and science. When employing this phrase, ensuring clarity about the specific moral framework being referenced is key. Alternatives like "ethically unjustified" or "morally unjustifiable" can offer similar nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

ethically unjustified

Emphasizes the lack of ethical support or justification for something.

morally unjustifiable

Highlights the inability to defend something based on moral principles.

ethically impermissible

Focuses on the violation of ethical boundaries or codes.

morally indefensible

Stresses the difficulty or impossibility of morally defending something.

ethically unacceptable

Indicates a lack of acceptance based on ethical standards.

morally wrong

A more general term indicating a violation of moral principles.

unethically sound

Suggests a lack of ethical grounding or foundation.

without moral basis

Emphasizes the absence of a moral foundation or reason.

lacking moral authority

Highlights the absence of moral credibility or right.

against ethical principles

Directly states a conflict with established ethical guidelines.

FAQs

How can I use "morally illegitimate" in a sentence?

You can use "morally illegitimate" to describe actions or beliefs that violate accepted moral standards. For example, "The politician's actions were deemed morally illegitimate by the public".

What phrases are similar to "morally illegitimate"?

Similar phrases include "ethically unjustified", "morally unjustifiable", or "ethically impermissible". These alternatives emphasize different aspects of ethical and moral violation.

Is it better to say "morally wrong" or "morally illegitimate"?

"Morally wrong" is a more general term, while "morally illegitimate" implies a violation of specific moral principles or a recognized moral authority. The best choice depends on the context and the specific nuance you want to convey.

What makes an action "morally illegitimate"?

An action is considered "morally illegitimate" when it violates established ethical principles, moral laws, or widely accepted social norms concerning right and wrong conduct.