as in immoral
not guided by or showing a concern for what is right
an unscrupulous businessman manipulated them into selling their land for practically nothing
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Recent Examples of unscrupulous
Instructed by Khamenei to go after Iran’s unscrupulous and less Islamist leaders, the organization’s younger corps naturally began attacking some of its oligarchs, accusing them of being corrupted by financial interests and of being too timid in their dealings with the West.
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Saeid Golkar, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2024
It has been pillaged, wounded, dragged into an aggressive war, and turned into a prison run by the most unscrupulous and deceitful scoundrels.
—Alexei Navalny, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
In many cases, voters did not even bother to read the names on the ballots, enabling some unscrupulous politicos to use their opponents’ symbols to trick inattentive voters.
—Jonathan W. White, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Oct. 2024
Understanding the common tactics employed by unscrupulous actors in the payment processing industry is essential for businesses to protect themselves and make informed choices.
—Elie Y. Katz, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unscrupulous 
Saeid Golkar, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2024
It has been pillaged, wounded, dragged into an aggressive war, and turned into a prison run by the most unscrupulous and deceitful scoundrels.
—Alexei Navalny, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
In many cases, voters did not even bother to read the names on the ballots, enabling some unscrupulous politicos to use their opponents’ symbols to trick inattentive voters.
—Jonathan W. White, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Oct. 2024
Understanding the common tactics employed by unscrupulous actors in the payment processing industry is essential for businesses to protect themselves and make informed choices.
—Elie Y. Katz, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unscrupulous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unscrupulous
Adjective
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This term was derived from bawd, which referred to someone who encouraged immoral or promiscuous behavior, particularly a procuress or pimp.Erik Kain, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024
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Some senior officers mistakenly believe that the military is obligated to resist orders that are unethical or immoral.Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 13 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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Peyser covered the high-profile trial for the Post as a columnist, spending every day in court in order to produce a series of ruthless front-page takes about the Stewart scandal.David Mack, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2024
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The standoff between Blanche’s impractical aestheticism and Stanley’s ruthless pragmatism is the heart of this quintessentially American drama.Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Others, such as Sri Lanka, have oscillated back and forth, with more democratic presidents and corrupt populist autocrats alternating as leaders.Larry Diamond, Foreign Affairs, 8 Nov. 2024
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Activists began showing up at election-board meetings with signs calling Lindsey corrupt.Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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And if an unprincipled president began his tenure by firing senior military officers for partisan political reasons, the military would lose trust in the executive branch and tensions would grow between the two sides.Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 13 Sep. 2024
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Cazale excelled, instead, at playing people who are weak, weird, unprincipled, and visibly uncomfortable in their own skins.Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2024
Adjective
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Those who supported the cat hunting ban said the methods to hunt mountain lions and bobcats were unethical and that hunting was unnecessary to regulate cat populations.Elise Schmelzer, The Denver Post, 5 Nov. 2024
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Accepting unpaid work perpetuates an unethical cycle where fair compensation is sidestepped in favor of exploitation. 6.Melissa Houston, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near unscrupulous
Cite this Entry
“Unscrupulous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unscrupulous. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.
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