moral compass
nounUK /ˈmɒrəl ˈkʌmpəs/
US /ˈmɔːrəl ˈkʌmpəs/
A feeling inside you that helps you know what is right and wrong.
His moral compass told him to give the lost wallet back to its owner.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The set of beliefs a person or group uses to judge right and wrong behavior.
The novel explores how war can twist a soldier's moral compass.
3. A guiding standard that helps someone make ethical decisions in hard situations.
Her moral compass kept her honest even when cheating would have been easy.
4. The inner sense that guides a community's shared ideas about good and bad.
Fair play is part of the moral compass of most sports.