amoral

amor·al | \ (ˌ)ā-ˈmȯr-əl

How to pronounce amoral (audio)

, (ˌ)a-, -ˈmär- \

Definition of amoral

1a : 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

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Examples of amoral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The legacy of Chanakya is not just amoral politics. — Anand Neelakanthan, Quartz India, "Who exactly was Chanakya, the ancient genius that wily Indian politicians are being compared with?," 20 Dec. 2019 Such amoral acts made Chanakya a master politician. — Anand Neelakanthan, Quartz India, "Who exactly was Chanakya, the ancient genius that wily Indian politicians are being compared with?," 20 Dec. 2019 Today’s health care system is run by amoral people who treat it as an extractives industry. — Dp Opinion, The Denver Post, "Letters: Sperm donor legal issues; Past their bedtimes; The ﬁne print in surprise billing; The very deﬁnition of a loan (12/16/19)," 16 Dec. 2019 Last year, an anonymous senior Trump administration official sent Washington into meltdown with a devastating New York Times op-ed describing the President as amoral, petty and ineffective. — Stephen Collinson And Caitlin Hu, CNN, "This is what strongman diplomacy looks like -- Meanwhile in America," 22 Oct. 2019 His hunger for dirt on Hunter Biden sounds like familiar, amoral, gutter politics. — Nancy Gibbs, Time, "The Danger of Donald Trump’s Ignorance," 1 Oct. 2019 Mahaffy doesn’t completely sell the scientist’s amoral hubris, however, and the parallels between Creature and creator are not fully realized. — Philip Brandes, Los Angeles Times, "Review: In ‘Frankenstein’ at A Noise Within, a harrowing performance pulses with humanity," 23 Aug. 2019 Absent, amoral, or aggressive adults can create a void where young kids too easily devolve into pain, self-destruction, or violence. — Rosy Cordero, EW.com, "Get first looks at the late Cameron Boyce's final screen projects," 24 July 2019 But Vidal is the scheming, spectacularly amoral spider at the center of the novel’s densely woven web of intrigue, obsessed with recovering the Shroud of Antioch not for religious reasons but to serve his own political and religious ambitions. — Elizabeth Hand, Washington Post, "‘Burning Chambers’ is a sweeping historical novel that puts current events in perspective," 19 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'amoral.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

15 Feb 2020

Cite this Entry

“Amoral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amoral. Accessed 17 Feb. 2020.

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