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unethical

adjective

un·​eth·​i·​cal ˌən-ˈe-thi-kəl How to pronounce unethical (audio)
: not conforming to a high moral standard : morally wrong : not ethical
illegal and unethical business practices
immoral and unethical behavior
unethically adverb

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
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.
In organizational contexts, this means an AI might inadvertently validate unethical workplace practices or fail to recognize when human intervention is critical. Fares Ahmad, The Conversation, 20 Nov. 2025 An aesthetic distinction to circumscribe this immoral, unethical moment in a durational imperialist history. Literary Hub, 17 Nov. 2025 Morale could not be lower, as prosecutors in the South Florida district fear they could be asked to do an unethical task or risk losing their jobs, according to multiple sources. Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 14 Nov. 2025 Biomedical engineer Rachel Lance says British scientists submitted themselves to experiments that would be considered unethical today. NPR, 14 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unethical

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unethical was in 1871

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Cite this Entry

“Unethical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unethical. Accessed 29 Nov. 2025.

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