ethical
adjective
eth·i·cal
ˈe-thi-kəl 
variants
or less commonly ethic
1
: of or relating to ethics
ethical theories
2
: involving or expressing moral approval or disapproval
ethical judgments
3
: conforming to accepted standards of conduct
ethical behavior
4
of a drug
: restricted to sale only on a doctor's prescription
Examples of ethical in a Sentence
Some doctors feel that this procedure is not medically ethical.
the ethical behavior expected of every member of the police force
Recent Examples on the Web
Her bi-monthly AI Logs column explores the latest trends, breakthroughs, and ethical dilemmas in AI, delivering expert analysis and fresh insights.
—
The Ai Insider, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2025
Did drawing names from a jar constitute an ethical reason to throw someone overboard?
—Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2025
For those ethical lapses, the Office of Attorney Regulation asked Disciplinary Judge Bryon Large to suspend Gonzales’ license for 60 days.
—Justin Wingerter, Denver Post, 20 Sep. 2025
Serving as a juxtaposition to those signatures, however, is its annual Ice Cube Collection—a monochrome offering in 18-karat ethical white or rose gold with various geometric arrangements of diamonds set in square settings.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ethical
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The Ai Insider, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2025
Did drawing names from a jar constitute an ethical reason to throw someone overboard?
—Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2025
For those ethical lapses, the Office of Attorney Regulation asked Disciplinary Judge Bryon Large to suspend Gonzales’ license for 60 days.
—Justin Wingerter, Denver Post, 20 Sep. 2025
Serving as a juxtaposition to those signatures, however, is its annual Ice Cube Collection—a monochrome offering in 18-karat ethical white or rose gold with various geometric arrangements of diamonds set in square settings.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ethical
Cite this Entry
“Ethical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethical. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ethical
adjective
eth·i·cal
ˈeth-i-kəl
1
: of or relating to ethics
2
a
: following accepted rules of conduct
b
: following professional standards of conduct
3
: sold only on a doctor's prescription
ethical drugs
Medical Definition
ethical
1 of 2 adjective
eth·i·cal
ˈeth-i-kəl
variants
also ethic
1
: conforming to accepted professional standards of conduct
2
of a drug
: restricted to sale only on a doctor's prescription
ethical
2 of 2 noun
: an ethical drug
Legal Definition
ethical
adjective
eth·i·cal
ˈe-thi-kəl
1
: of or relating to ethics
2
: conforming to accepted professional standards of conduct
ethically
adverb
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