amoral

adjective

amor·​al (ˌ)ā-ˈmȯr-əl 

(ˌ)a-,

-ˈmär-

1

a

: having or showing no concern about whether behavior is morally right or wrong

amoral politicians

an amoral, selfish person

b

: being neither moral nor immoral

specifically : lying outside the sphere to which moral judgments apply

Science as such is completely amoral.

—W. S. Thompson

2

: being outside or beyond the moral order or a particular code of morals

amoral customs

amoralism

(ˌ)ā-ˈmȯr-ə-ˌli-zəm 

(ˌ)a-

-ˈmär-

noun

amorality

ˌā-mə-ˈra-lə-tē 

ˌa-

-(ˌ)mȯ-

noun

amorally

ˌā-ˈmȯr-ə-lē 

(ˌ)a-

-ˈmär-

adverb

Examples of amoral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Signature device: The acid injector A very entertaining thing happens in the sixth movie: Saw tunes into society at large and focuses its punishment on predatory lenders and amoral insurance companies. —Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture, 1 June 2024

Just how amoral are Americans these days with so much at stake as never before? —Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 24 May 2024

And yet this unrestrained, amoral growth possesses a kind of logic familiar to anyone who has played Monopoly—even if that same person, in their real life, struggles to support themselves. —Carmen Maria MacHado, Scientific American, 14 May 2024

Reid’s showdown with an amoral foe who’s just as smart as him (if not smarter) serves as the main course, as an innocuous dinner date quickly becomes a game of life or death. 17. —EW.com, 6 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

a- entry 2 + moral entry 1

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Kids Definition

amoral

adjective

amor·​al ā-ˈmȯr-əl 

-ˈmär-

: not being moral nor immoral

amorally

-ə-lē 

adverb