unscrupulous

adjective

un·​scru·​pu·​lous ˌən-ˈskrü-pyə-ləs How to pronounce unscrupulous (audio)
Synonyms of unscrupulousnext
: not scrupulous : unprincipled
… replicas that unscrupulous shopkeepers may sometimes try to palm off as the real thing.Geri Trotta
unscrupulously adverb
unscrupulousness noun

Examples of unscrupulous in a Sentence

an unscrupulous businessman manipulated them into selling their land for practically nothing
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.
Police at this point believe neither of these new notes are authentic, just an attempt by unscrupulous people to take advantage of the situation. Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 9 Apr. 2026 The Tribune reports on how the legal system is failing people who have been wrongly accused of crimes and how some unscrupulous attorneys have turned the system into a gravy train for themselves. Chicago Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026 Everyone wants to hold accountable the scammers and unscrupulous businesses that break the law and take advantage of consumers, but there are good and bad ways to go about it. Adam Summers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026 While states may be the last line of defense for consumers against unscrupulous personal lines insurers, the development is a searing indictment on the industry as a whole. Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 2 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for unscrupulous

Word History

First Known Use

1803, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unscrupulous was in 1803

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unscrupulous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unscrupulous. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

unscrupulous

adjective
un·​scru·​pu·​lous ˌən-ˈskrü-pyə-ləs How to pronounce unscrupulous (audio)
ˈən-
: not scrupulous : unprincipled
unscrupulously adverb
unscrupulousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unscrupulous

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster