1
as in immoral
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable
unethical treatment of prisoners of war that was a clear violation of international law
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ruthless
not guided by or showing a concern for what is right
an unethical attorney, he had no qualms about getting off clients who he knew were guilty
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of unethical
Controlled experiments on humans, particularly of this kind, are inherently unethical, therefore studies rely on surveys and reports.
—
Danielle Sukenik, The Conversation, 11 Apr. 2025
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals finds the whole idea of using pig organs unethical.
—Karen Weintraub, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2025
Her emotional response and (to be fair, unethical) choice to threaten the guy suggest to the viewer that Dr. Santos herself experienced a similar kind of trauma as a child.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 10 Apr. 2025
Because many local governments and their operations are so obscure, there are abundant opportunities for unethical behavior and corruption.
—David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unethical
Danielle Sukenik, The Conversation, 11 Apr. 2025
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals finds the whole idea of using pig organs unethical.
—Karen Weintraub, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2025
Her emotional response and (to be fair, unethical) choice to threaten the guy suggest to the viewer that Dr. Santos herself experienced a similar kind of trauma as a child.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 10 Apr. 2025
Because many local governments and their operations are so obscure, there are abundant opportunities for unethical behavior and corruption.
—David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unethical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unethical
Adjective
-
Regardless of what transpired between the two cast members, on or off screen, Aspen was unfairly portrayed as an immoral character.—
Taylor Crumpton,
Essence,
11 Apr. 2025
-
We are limited to enforcing the law, not policing immoral behavior.—
David Chiu,
People.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
O’Neil had shown a more ruthless streak in dealing with Lemina, stripping the midfielder of the captaincy after those embarrassing post-match scenes at West Ham.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2025
-
There is the ruthless spymaster Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård) and his mysterious assistant Kleya (Elizabeth Dulau).—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The suit will argue that Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which grants the president increased powers during an economic emergency, to impose tariffs is unlawful and requires congressional approval.—
Elaine Mallon,
The Washington Examiner,
16 Apr. 2025
-
The lawsuit will argue that Trump's use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to enact tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China is unlawful.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Taking away a tool that saves millions of Americans money to boost the tax prep industry's profits is another corrupt giveaway to Big Business.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
-
By the end of the finale episode, Kingpin has essentially taken control of the entire city and the Punisher is kidnapped by the corrupt police but Daredevil is assembling his own army to combat the tyrant.—
Skyler Trepel,
People.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
While the practice of using haint blue to ward off evil spirits might not be as common, the color has bled into the mainstream, with major paint companies like Sherwin-Williams and PPG Industries, Inc selling paint inspired by the shade.—
Amaris Encinas,
USA Today,
24 Apr. 2025
-
The royal palace is infested with evil spirits and one of them has taken hold of the young prince.—
Joan MacDonald,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Sammie’s father is right to be concerned, but wrong about the sinful nature of the blues—Sinners depicts musical talent as a divine blessing, a power that can pierce the veil between worlds, for good or for ill.—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
-
April 20: Projections showed A Minecraft Movie remaining atop the box office this Easter weekend, but audiences actually felt more sinful than predicted.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
This was a vicious weaponization of your government.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
-
Shauna may be the vicious Antler Queen now, but Lottie also played a role in Mari’s death.—
Jackie Strause,
HollywoodReporter,
15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
That means more time for Rojas, who has shown more bad than good to begin this season.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
18 Apr. 2025
-
The first questions from out-of-staters are, 'How bad are the hurricanes?—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unethical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unethical. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share