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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective ethical differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of ethical are moral, noble, righteous, and virtuous. While all these words mean "conforming to a standard of what is right and good," ethical may suggest the involvement of more difficult or subtle questions of rightness, fairness, or equity.

committed to the highest ethical principles

When is moral a more appropriate choice than ethical?

The meanings of moral and ethical largely overlap; however, moral implies conformity to established sanctioned codes or accepted notions of right and wrong.

the basic moral values of a community

When would noble be a good substitute for ethical?

Although the words noble and ethical have much in common, noble implies moral eminence and freedom from anything petty, mean, or dubious in conduct and character.

had the noblest of reasons for seeking office

When is it sensible to use righteous instead of ethical?

The words righteous and ethical are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, righteous stresses guiltlessness or blamelessness and often suggests the sanctimonious.

wished to be righteous before God and the world

When might virtuous be a better fit than ethical?

While the synonyms virtuous and ethical are close in meaning, virtuous implies moral excellence in character.

not a religious person, but virtuous nevertheless

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 ethical The rules — medical, ethical, and personal — are being written in real time. Dr. Sabooh Mubbashar, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2025 Reporting Highlights Emails Revealed: Court records show emails between Ed Martin and an ally urging online criticism of a judge handling a case he was involved in, which experts say is an ethical violation. Jeremy Kohler, ProPublica, 24 Apr. 2025 Many organizations are actively working on ethical AI frameworks to address bias and ensure fair, transparent decision-making processes. Chaitanya Laxminarayana, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025 Maintaining an open dialogue around these issues is necessary to balance rapid technological advancement with crucial ethical and societal considerations. Francis Hellyer, Rolling Stone, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ethical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ethical
Adjective
  • Court documents show Blankenship has been employed by the city since 2006 following his honorable discharge from the Coast Guard.
    Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 11 Apr. 2025
  • White Painted Woman was a model of heroism and honorable womanhood: When evil monsters were hunting the Apache people, the White Painted Woman gave birth to a son who would destroy the creatures to help make Earth inhabitable for humanity.
    Alejandra Rubio, NPR, 29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • But only if leaders have the appetite for that kind of honest data.
    Aparna Rae, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
  • This was an honest error and was not intentional in any way.
    Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Eighty years since the end of World War II, Amsterdam’s mayor apologized for the city’s role in the persecution of its Jewish residents during the Holocaust, in a rare acknowledgment of a collective moral failure by a city leader.
    Anupreeta Das, New York Times, 1 May 2025
  • Trump himself has suggested moral equivalence between the two sides, claiming Ukraine was at fault for provoking the war, that President Zelensky was illegitimate and that the U.S. should recognize Russia’s annexations of Ukrainian territory.
    Eric Green, Time, 30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Francis hailed as 'true advocate for peace' In 2019, Francis became the first pontiff to set foot on the peninsula where Islam was born.
    N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 22 Apr. 2025
  • But against the Cavaliers, against the length of Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, Ware stands essential, on a Heat roster that lacks a true backup center.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The definitions of what’s crazy, what’s malicious, what’s polite, normal, and respectable all lost some of their force.
    Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 25 Apr. 2025
  • At least the fielding has looked respectable (ninth in defensive efficiency) and the pitching staff mostly holds its own.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • That dissonance is a function of how eating less meat has been wrapped in a conscientious and moral sheen.
    Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 24 Mar. 2025
  • Emily is a conscientious worker who is constantly evaluating her performance and setting ever higher goals.
    Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • And the honeycomb design isn’t just nice on the eyes.
    Nicol Natale, People.com, 22 Apr. 2025
  • It’s made of a tarp-like material that feels pretty durable and the lid zippers, which is nice to contain smells.
    Sara Coughlin, SELF, 22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The forthcoming rain was good news for crews battling a wildfire in central New Jersey that erupted on April 22 and has consumed 12,250 acres.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Okay, top-10 best movie entrance of all time for Blake Lively.
    Emma Specter, Vogue, 26 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ethical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ethical. Accessed 4 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on ethical

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