moral authority

Moral authority refers to the influence or trust someone has to guide others based on their integrity, values, and ethical conduct. It's the respect people give to a person or institution believed to act rightly and consistently align their actions with moral principles. This authority isn’t official or legal, but earned through demonstrated honesty, fairness, and responsibility. When someone has moral authority, others are more likely to listen, follow their guidance, or accept their judgments because they see them as morally trustworthy and credible.