as in unlawful
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable
zero tolerance at the academy for cheating and other iniquitous practices
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Recent Examples of iniquitous
Our community is small, and when someone like Scott comes along, we are comforted and start growing confidence that perhaps the city administration will look back at the iniquitous history that left us landless in our own homeland.
—
Richard B. Williams, Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2025
That morning, on the day of his exam, looking up at the stone façades, Gabriel suddenly realized that this was a place that existed not despite but because of the iniquitous history exhibited here.
—Daisy Hildyard, The New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2024
The food court was a part of this iniquitous setup.
—Angella Choe, Los Angeles Times, 14 Nov. 2022
When those writing about cyber-security and cyber-hacking do so irresponsibly, attempting merely to fan the flames of angst, there is no question that such shoddy and perhaps even iniquitous efforts are sad, hurtful, and do not advance sensibly the battle between cyber-security and cyber-hacking.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 14 June 2021
Similar makeovers have been undertaken on behalf of such iniquitous figures as Blackbeard, Henry VIII, Robespierre and the Marquis de Sade.
—Joe Queenan, WSJ, 10 June 2021
Palestinian leaders rejected the 1947 UN Partition Plan for its iniquitous terms, but then accepted partition on significantly less advantageous terms in 1988.
—Hussein Agha, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2021
Richard B. Williams, Denver Post, 10 Sep. 2025
That morning, on the day of his exam, looking up at the stone façades, Gabriel suddenly realized that this was a place that existed not despite but because of the iniquitous history exhibited here.
—Daisy Hildyard, The New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2024
The food court was a part of this iniquitous setup.
—Angella Choe, Los Angeles Times, 14 Nov. 2022
When those writing about cyber-security and cyber-hacking do so irresponsibly, attempting merely to fan the flames of angst, there is no question that such shoddy and perhaps even iniquitous efforts are sad, hurtful, and do not advance sensibly the battle between cyber-security and cyber-hacking.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 14 June 2021
Similar makeovers have been undertaken on behalf of such iniquitous figures as Blackbeard, Henry VIII, Robespierre and the Marquis de Sade.
—Joe Queenan, WSJ, 10 June 2021
Palestinian leaders rejected the 1947 UN Partition Plan for its iniquitous terms, but then accepted partition on significantly less advantageous terms in 1988.
—Hussein Agha, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for iniquitous
Adjective
-
Under Texas law, a contract signed under duress is generally voidable if it was obtained through an improper or unlawful threat that overrode the signer’s free will.—
Chase Rogers,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Violating that trust is both cruel and unlawful.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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To do so is to be tacitly complicit in what these companies know to be wrong, unethical and immoral.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
7 Apr. 2026
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Lawyers for the church argue that Morris’ agreements with the church preclude him from those benefits if he was fired or resigned because of immoral behavior.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Besides, anyone who doesn’t agree with the left is said to be evil, so anything progressives do to destroy, or at least restrain that evil, is justified.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Apr. 2026
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Fifteen years later, her sister Merry faces her family’s dark past with a journalist uncovering the nature of the evil force that undid them.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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His father, who believes Sammie's music to be sinful, orders him to drop the guitar, but Sammie can't do it.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Mar. 2026
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The least sinful states in 2026 Wyoming was ranked the least sinful state in 2026, followed by New Hampshire, Idaho, Vermont, Maine, Minnesota, Utah, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The wereboar growled next to Black Pudding, a hulking vicious monster, both focused on ripping Puck and Cordelia to shreds.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The childishness of his expressions infantilized a genuinely vicious regime, painting it as more peevish than petrifying.—
Fintan O’Toole,
The New York Review of Books,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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His Max is both vile and charming, and the result is undeniably magnetic.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Apr. 2026
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Slayyyter’s music is vile, explicit, and a threat to common decency.—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Offensively, the Cubs didn’t do much against Guardians starter Joey Cantillo, armed with a wicked changeup, and the Cleveland bullpen.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
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For Iran, what counts is resistance, against arrogant and wicked oppressors, chiefly the United States and Israel.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Sunscreen protects against sun damage, premature aging and dark spots.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Apr. 2026
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Harden, 36, with his famous, protruding beard and those dark, piercing eyes, was determined to use his star power to get his way, to bring with him a slice of comfort to a new city.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Iniquitous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/iniquitous. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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