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
His tactics clearly rattled the prosecutor, who appeared to lose his temper several times during the trial and repeatedly accused Tacopina of being unethical, accusations Tacopina gamely returned.
—
Julian Sancton, HollywoodReporter, 4 Apr. 2025
Meanwhile, Sarah Boese, a deputy administrator, has filed a separate complaint alleging unethical conduct and political retaliation for the board's refusal to consider her for the job and choosing Marasco as the interim, the Register reports.
—Jason Clayworth, Axios, 1 Apr. 2025
Trump cited court rules that prohibit lawyers from engaging in unethical conduct or filing arguments that harass or cause unnecessary delays in litigation.
—Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2025
For instance, the company might have a poor reputation—think consistent Glassdoor reviews citing toxic culture, high turnover, or unethical practices—which can scare off candidates who value a healthy work environment.
—Jack Kelly, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unethical
Julian Sancton, HollywoodReporter, 4 Apr. 2025
Meanwhile, Sarah Boese, a deputy administrator, has filed a separate complaint alleging unethical conduct and political retaliation for the board's refusal to consider her for the job and choosing Marasco as the interim, the Register reports.
—Jason Clayworth, Axios, 1 Apr. 2025
Trump cited court rules that prohibit lawyers from engaging in unethical conduct or filing arguments that harass or cause unnecessary delays in litigation.
—Bart Jansen, USA TODAY, 24 Mar. 2025
For instance, the company might have a poor reputation—think consistent Glassdoor reviews citing toxic culture, high turnover, or unethical practices—which can scare off candidates who value a healthy work environment.
—Jack Kelly, Forbes, 5 Mar. 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
-
But when the ruthless Mafia boss Nicola Grimaldi discovers his young son has been kidnapped and murdered, the suspect and Grimaldi’s former friend Vito seeks refuge with police.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
9 Apr. 2025
-
The way to move up in your organization might require being ruthless.—
Roberta Matuson,
Forbes.com,
9 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
-
At the time of Vallow's death, Vallow Daybell was espousing the belief that he was possessed by an evil spirit, the prosecution said.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2025
-
Last season, there was an episode that featured an evil streaming executive — who dressed like, kind of looked like and whose name even sounded like Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief creative officer and your boss.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Driven by a religious mandate to purify society by stopping sinful behavior, the AFMRS’s missionaries provided direct outreach to low-income areas.—
Jenna Deep,
Smithsonian Magazine,
27 Mar. 2025
-
Here's the list of least-to-most sinful states, according to WalletHub: TRAVELERS FLOCK TO TOP RELIGIOUS LANDMARKS DEEMED 'MOST INSTAGRAMMABLE' (iStock) 50.—
Andrea Margolis,
Fox News,
3 Mar. 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
-
Thankfully, the kittens were discovered and rescued right in time before something worse fell on them.—
TJ Macias,
Kansas City Star,
17 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unethical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unethical. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share