unethical
adjective
un·eth·i·cal
ˌən-ˈe-thi-kəl 
: not conforming to a high moral standard : morally wrong : not ethical
illegal and unethical business practices
immoral and unethical behavior
Examples of unethical in a Sentence
unethical treatment of prisoners of war that was a clear violation of international law
an unethical attorney, he had no qualms about getting off clients who he knew were guilty
Recent Examples on the Web
At dawn today, that stupid and unethical decision—and many others like it—finally caught up with him.
—
Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2026
Tried as an adult, the teen was convicted five months later at a trial replete with errors and unethical behavior — but almost no real evidence.
—Dan Kelly, Kansas City Star, 17 Feb. 2026
Before some of the NBA’s best players spent Valentine’s Day Saturday in competitive 3-point shooting and dunking exhibitions, Commissioner Adam Silver gave his best lawyerly answers in a half-hour-long news conference focused largely on unethical hoops.
—Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 15 Feb. 2026
Tedros suggested that denying half the children in the trial an intervention that has been proven to be safe and effective would be unethical.
—Helen Branswell, STAT, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unethical
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Helen Lewis, The Atlantic, 19 Feb. 2026
Tried as an adult, the teen was convicted five months later at a trial replete with errors and unethical behavior — but almost no real evidence.
—Dan Kelly, Kansas City Star, 17 Feb. 2026
Before some of the NBA’s best players spent Valentine’s Day Saturday in competitive 3-point shooting and dunking exhibitions, Commissioner Adam Silver gave his best lawyerly answers in a half-hour-long news conference focused largely on unethical hoops.
—Mirjam Swanson, Oc Register, 15 Feb. 2026
Tedros suggested that denying half the children in the trial an intervention that has been proven to be safe and effective would be unethical.
—Helen Branswell, STAT, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unethical
Cite this Entry
“Unethical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unethical. Accessed 28 Feb. 2026.
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