1
as in immoral
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable unethical treatment of prisoners of war that was a clear violation of international law

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of unethical But cynicism is exactly what unethical politicians count on. Matt Germer, Oc Register, 7 Sep. 2025 What’s particularly galling is that many who reap Wall Street trading largesse are quick to point the finger at others over unethical behavior. Boston Herald Editorial Staff, Boston Herald, 4 Sep. 2025 The Hulu miniseries Dopesick (2021), chronicling Purdue Pharma’s role in the opioid crisis, highlights the catastrophic consequences of unethical persuasion. Adrian Dearnell, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025 At a press conference in Tampa, Ladapo called vaccine mandates unethical. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unethical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unethical
Adjective
  • Unlike previous seasons, Dorothy never makes immoral choices.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
  • This is disgraceful and immoral.
    Armando Garcia, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Governed by Saturn, this Earth sign is known for its ruthless ambition and long-term visions, making this lunar phase all the more stern and no-nonsense.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
  • In another example of a ruthless campaign to crush dissent, Cuban authorities sentenced the wife of a Cuban political prisoner to 14 years in prison for charges of acting against state security, for which she had been previously acquitted due to lack of evidence.
    Nora Gamez Torres, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Like a coach revealed to be betting against their own team, Amazon’s actions, if proven unlawful, would amount to a fundamental breach of the trust the company asked consumers to give it.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 22 Sep. 2025
  • Police said Bean was charged with two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment, two counts of third-degree criminal mischief, first-degree assault, unlawful discharge of a firearm and second-degree breach of peace.
    Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Our institutions are failing us — either corrupt or underfunded, gutted and useless — and we’re absorbed with stories of characters that manage to save themselves, and on their own terms.
    Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2025
  • That failure was on corrupt leadership.
    Emma Marsden, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • If the full release can continue to generate oddly pulse-pounding moments like the near-death rooftop fight with an evil-eyed Pikachu, then Z-A might be worth an extended stay in Lumiose.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2025
  • The kids discover their small town of Derry is home to an ancient, trans-dimensional evil that awakens every 27 years to prey mostly on children by taking the form of an evil clown named Pennywise.
    Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • In an important variation, medieval soldiers returning from war regularly spent an extended period of penance in monasteries – a recognition of Catholicism’s teaching that any war is inherently sinful.
    Timothy Gabrielli, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2025
  • Don’t dream of leaving without ordering a gigantic slice of the coconut cake with cream cheese frosting—sinful and certainly comforting.
    Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025
Adjective
  • Over eight episodes, the brothers find themselves at the mercy of Mancuso — a former family friend — and his vicious henchmen, and they are forced to confront the emotional scars of growing up with an alcoholic father, who had gambled away his own restaurant.
    Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2025
  • That vicious cycle spins in states such as California, Illinois, and Texas.
    Jeffrey Selingo, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Many of the people opining and whining about how this moment could be as bad or worse than the 2000 bust are uninformed or ahistorical.
    Jim Cramer, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Thankfully, my passport wasn’t stolen, nor was it stranded somewhere in the middle of the rainforest (my worst fear at the time).
    Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 28 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Unethical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unethical. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

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