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
The legacy of unethical medical research in this country runs even deeper than the Tuskegee experiments.
—
Akilah Weber Pierson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
After a 10-year investigation and five malpractice claims, the Iowa Board of Medicine has issued a warning to a Des Moines surgeon accused of incompetence and unprofessional and unethical conduct.
—Clark Kauffman, Des Moines Register, 28 Jan. 2026
While there is nothing implicitly malicious or unethical about posting individual model data or visuals to social media, there are risks.
—Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2026
Fleming was one of at least nine BPD employees who filed complaints, which boiled down to concerns that Lee engaged in unethical behavior, repeatedly retaliated against subordinates, and behaved unprofessionally while creating a hostile work environment.
—Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unethical
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.
Akilah Weber Pierson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
After a 10-year investigation and five malpractice claims, the Iowa Board of Medicine has issued a warning to a Des Moines surgeon accused of incompetence and unprofessional and unethical conduct.
—Clark Kauffman, Des Moines Register, 28 Jan. 2026
While there is nothing implicitly malicious or unethical about posting individual model data or visuals to social media, there are risks.
—Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2026
Fleming was one of at least nine BPD employees who filed complaints, which boiled down to concerns that Lee engaged in unethical behavior, repeatedly retaliated against subordinates, and behaved unprofessionally while creating a hostile work environment.
—Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 28 Jan. 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 5 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
