UNETHICAL Synonyms: 188 Similar and Opposite Words

unethical

adjective

ˌən-ˈe-thi-kəl

Definition of unethical

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in ruthless

not guided by or showing a concern for what is right an unethical attorney, he had no qualms about getting off clients who he knew were guilty

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 The myth that they’re somehow linked stems from a single report from England involving just a dozen children that was later found to be fraudulent and unethical and was forced to be retracted. — Andrew D. Racine, STAT, 14 Aug. 2026 But if surveillance pricing seems corrupt or unethical, get ready. — Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026 The Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force, which helps root out goods made with unethical labor, helped identify the batch announced Friday. — Luke Barr, ABC News, 31 July 2026 But the models will often do anything – including unethical steps like hacking – to do that. — Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 23 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for unethical

Recent Examples of Synonyms for unethical

Adjective

Heilbrun was speaking to his evaluation of Clancy’s case and her understanding of what is immoral.

— NBC News, NBC news, 25 Aug. 2026
According to experts, this device could rot my brain, influence me to commit immoral acts, and even ruin my eyesight.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of immoral

Adjective

Once the ruthless commander of Bosnian Serb forces, Mladic oversaw the siege of Sarajevo, mass killings and the 1995 Srebrenica massacre that left more than 8,000 Muslim men and boys dead.

— Jovana Gec, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter, like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

— Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of ruthless

Adjective

Legal experts say such a move would probably be swiftly blocked by courts, as would any unlawful deployment of military troops to polls.

— Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 23 Aug. 2026
The suit alleges that Paramount’s unlawful termination has caused him some $4 million in economic damages.

— Gene Maddaus, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of unlawful

Adjective

Postwar Germany ran a denazification program, for example, while recent elections in Ukraine ousted corrupt, pro-Moscow leaders.

— The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 24 Aug. 2026
Christian pleaded guilty in New Haven Superior Court to violating the corrupt organizations and racketeering act and conspiracy to commit first-degree larceny, the DCJ said.

— Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of corrupt

Adjective

Presumably everybody wants the evidence to hold people who commit serious crimes accountable, but nobody wants to turn into the evil empire in the process.

— Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Her parents refuse to see that there is something unnatural about their new baby boy and that an evil other presence haunts their stately home.

— Tanya Fedak, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of evil

Adjective

My prescribed low-carb, caffeine-free diet sounded horrifying on paper, but my sinful pleasures were replaced with a tasty, high-quality, and healthy alternative that left me more energized.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
Critics also have challenged the report’s characterization of cases involving women, contending these were consensual affairs that were sinful but not abusive.

— ABC News, ABC News, 25 June 2026

Definition of sinful

Adjective

Detectives charged him with murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon for the vicious attack that killed his mother, 57-year-old Josefa Soto de Guzman, on Friday.

— Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 26 Aug. 2026
Pace, skill, a vicious shot, the ability to make opposition defenders look like fools.

— James Horncastle, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of vicious

Adjective

Poor Anton has been left out of the drama all day, an effort by Billie and Samir to prevent an already bad futzing from escalating to something severe, and that’s never where Anton likes to be.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
Although rarely seen, its reemergence earlier this summer is a signal of how bad the region’s ongoing drought has gotten, as well as a warning for the difficult months ahead.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of bad

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unessential

unethical

unethically

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“Unethical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unethical. Accessed 29 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of unethical

adjective

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