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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2

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 Controlled experiments on humans, particularly of this kind, are inherently unethical, therefore studies rely on surveys and reports. Danielle Sukenik, The Conversation, 11 Apr. 2025 People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals finds the whole idea of using pig organs unethical. Karen Weintraub, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2025 Her emotional response and (to be fair, unethical) choice to threaten the guy suggest to the viewer that Dr. Santos herself experienced a similar kind of trauma as a child. Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 10 Apr. 2025 Because many local governments and their operations are so obscure, there are abundant opportunities for unethical behavior and corruption. David Greising, Chicago Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unethical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unethical
Adjective
  • Even children and adolescents express more willingness to shun and punish moral transgressors than people who do something personally obnoxious or offensive but not immoral.
    Jen Cole Wright, The Conversation, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Regardless of what transpired between the two cast members, on or off screen, Aspen was unfairly portrayed as an immoral character.
    Taylor Crumpton, Essence, 11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • There’s an undercurrent of electricity between her and the ruthless cartel leader (Salma Hayek) using her as a bargaining chip, but Stone is too cowardly to let the hotties smooch, squandering the only energy Lively was able to muster for this potent strain of mess.
    Lizzie Logan, Vulture, 2 May 2025
  • To his critics, his centralization of power and ruthless purge of opponents put Malaysia on an authoritarian trajectory.
    Charlie Campbell, Time, 2 May 2025
Adjective
  • Of note: Your Content must not be false, defamatory, misleading or hateful, or infringe any copyright or any other third-party rights or otherwise be unlawful.
    Catherine Pearson, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
  • That month, Drummond sued the board directly in the Oklahoma Supreme Court and asked it to rescind the charter contract and declare St. Isidore's establishment as a charter school unlawful.
    Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Rosamund Pike adds her name to the cast list, starring as a diamond seller whose family launders their profits through corrupt back-channels.
    Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 1 May 2025
  • Countless cases have shown how these schemes have granted safe haven to corrupt actors from around the world and other suspicious individuals in the EU.
    Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The driving force behind college pricing is not some evil genius at Harvard or Penn.
    Ron Lieber, New York Times, 1 May 2025
  • As if that wasn't enough trouble, evil doppelgänger Dark Samus shows up too. 5.
    Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 1 May 2025
Adjective
  • Sammie’s father is right to be concerned, but wrong about the sinful nature of the blues—Sinners depicts musical talent as a divine blessing, a power that can pierce the veil between worlds, for good or for ill.
    Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
  • April 20: Projections showed A Minecraft Movie remaining atop the box office this Easter weekend, but audiences actually felt more sinful than predicted.
    Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Sandhagen dispatched Edgar with a vicious flying knee 28 seconds into that bout.
    Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
  • With two hits, one hit-by-pitch and zero outs recorded, Williams then left the mound to a vicious chorus of boos as Aaron Boone summoned Mark Leiter Jr. — not Weaver — from the bullpen.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • President Donald Trump intends to completely reimagine U.S. trade relations with our closest partners and fiercest rivals, for better or worse.
    Charles Singh, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2025
  • As an attempt to derive meaning from a meaningless phrase —which was, after all, the user's request—that's not half bad.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 29 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Unethical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unethical. Accessed 9 May. 2025.

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