ethical

1 conforming to a high standard of morality or virtue the ethical behavior expected of every member of the police force Synonyms all right, decent, good, honest, honorable, just, moral, nice, right, righteous, right-minded, straight, true, upright, virtuousRelated Words correct, decorous, proper, seemly; high-minded, noble, principled; commendable, creditable, exemplary, legitimate; esteemed, law-abiding, menschy, reputable, respected, upstanding, worthy; blameless, clean, guiltless, immaculate, incorrupt (also incorrupted), incorruptible, innocent, inoffensive, irreproachable, unobjectionable; angelic (or angelical), lily-white, pure, scrupulous, spotless, uncorrupted, unerring; goody-goody, moralistic, pharisaical, rectitudinous, sanctimonious, self-righteousNear Antonyms improper, incorrect, indecorous, naughty, unbecoming, unseemly; corrupt, debased, debauched, degenerate, depraved, dissolute, libertine, perverted, reprobate; unprincipled, unscrupulous; atrocious, infamous, villainous; base, low, mean, vicious, vile; blameworthy, objectionable, offensive; iniquitous, nefarious; errant, erring, fallenAntonyms bad, black, dishonest, dishonorable, evil, evil-minded, immoral, indecent, sinful, unethical, unrighteous, wicked, wrong

2 following the accepted rules of moral conduct the ethical course of action for the senator who lied to Congress would be to resign Synonyms decent, honorable, honest, just, noble, principled, respectable, righteous, stand-up, upright, upstandingRelated Words blameless, guiltless, irreproachable, unassailable, unimpeachable; chivalrous, classy, high-minded, menschy, right-minded; conscientious, fair, good, incorruptible, moral, reputable, respected, scrupulous, uncorrupted, virtuous; decorous, nice, polite, proper, seemlyNear Antonyms bad, blackguardly, corrupt, criminal, crooked, evil, immoral, iniquitous, knavish, mean, nefarious, rascally, reprehensible, roguish, rotten, scoundrelly, sinful; unfair, unscrupulous, vile, villainous, wicked, wretched; blamable, blameworthy, censurable, culpable; debased, debauched, decadent, degenerate, degraded, demoralized, depraved, disgraceful, disreputable, dissipated, dissolute, libertine, loose, perverse, perverted, profligate, reprobate, shameful, venalAntonyms base, dishonest, dishonorable, ignoble, low, unethical, unjust, unprincipled, unrighteous, unworthy

3 guided by or in accordance with one's sense of right and wrong ethical writers do not use the words of other writers without giving them proper credit Synonyms conscionable, conscientious, honest, honorable, just, moral, principled, scrupulousRelated Words decent, good, righteous, right-minded, straight, upright, virtuous; dutiful, observant, respectful; overconscientious; reliable, responsible, solid, tried-and-true, true, trustworthy, trusty; esteemed, law-abiding, reputable, respected, upstanding, worthyNear Antonyms bad, black, evil, evil-minded, immoral, indecent, sinful, unrighteous, wicked; unreliable, untrustworthy; corrupt, debased, debauched, degenerate, depraved, dissolute, perverted, reprobate; atrocious, infamous, villainous; base, low, mean, vicious, vile; iniquitous, nefariousAntonyms cutthroat, dishonest, dishonorable, immoral, unconscionable, unethical, unjust, unprincipled, unscrupulous