unprincipled

adjective

un·​prin·​ci·​pled ˌən-ˈprin(t)-s(ə-)pəld How to pronounce unprincipled (audio)
-sə-bəld
Synonyms of unprinciplednext
: lacking moral principles : unscrupulous
a dishonest and unprincipled smear
unprincipledness noun

Examples of unprincipled in a Sentence

a dishonest and unprincipled attack on his reputation an unprincipled businessman who made a lot of money—and didn't care how he did it
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.
How pathetically far this blithering, unprincipled piece of trash has gone to endanger other lives, to expressly distract and deflect from his own wicked deeds, and to further benefit his grifting family’s larcenously enlarged bounties. Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 8 Mar. 2026 In every era a certain kind of unprincipled demagogue driven by an insatiable need for attention and a sense of what will capture the public’s imagination rises to the fore. Mark Lilla, The New York Review of Books, 5 Mar. 2026 In the past, that’s opened small businesses to frivolous lawsuits filed by unprincipled lawyers that file massive lawsuits and offer quick settlements. Erica Goldstein, Boston Herald, 9 Sep. 2025 Rule by ‘ambitious, and unprincipled men’ Partisanship is the primary problem for the American republic, according to Washington. Robert A. Strong, The Conversation, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unprincipled

Word History

First Known Use

1644, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unprincipled was in 1644

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Cite this Entry

“Unprincipled.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unprincipled. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

unprincipled

adjective
un·​prin·​ci·​pled ˌən-ˈprin(t)-s(ə-)pəld How to pronounce unprincipled (audio)
-sə-bəld
ˈən-
: lacking moral principles : unscrupulous

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