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

unethically

ˌən-ˈe-thi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Synonyms of unethical

• immoral
• unlawful
• evil
• sinful
• vicious
• bad
• vile
• dark

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 first was his childhood in Ethiopia with a fascist father, finding his own ethic inside an unethical situation. — Jd Linville, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026

By using iron and phosphate instead of nickel and cobalt, the LFP batteries solve several issues associated with the battery industry, such as high cost, unethical sourcing, and supply chain bottlenecks. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026

Sanft characterized Kading as an unethical former cop who purloined a recording of the confidential proffer for profit. — John L. Smith, Rolling Stone, 2 Sep. 2026

Scientific and medical experts have largely dismissed this attack, noting that such trials are unnecessary, in many cases unethical, and in some cases the claim is just false. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 24 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unethical

• ethical