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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
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Recent Examples of unethical
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
Their complaint cited lawyers who quit the DOJ or were fired by Bondi for refusing unethical orders.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
As Kaiko continues adjusting to life indoors, Turner hopes her story will help others recognize the long‑term consequences of unethical breeding—and the difference a safe, loving home can make.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Those leaders who ignore or flout the law aren’t merely unethical but fatally arrogant, putting their childish willfulness over the wisdom of generations.
—David Brooks, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unethical
Chris Willman, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026
Their complaint cited lawyers who quit the DOJ or were fired by Bondi for refusing unethical orders.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
As Kaiko continues adjusting to life indoors, Turner hopes her story will help others recognize the long‑term consequences of unethical breeding—and the difference a safe, loving home can make.
—Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
Those leaders who ignore or flout the law aren’t merely unethical but fatally arrogant, putting their childish willfulness over the wisdom of generations.
—David Brooks, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unethical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unethical
Adjective
-
And never mind that this is simply wrong, almost to the point of being immoral.—
The Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 Apr. 2026
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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
Adjective
-
Social media users on Twitter, now known as X, were absolutely ruthless with Beltrán at the time.—
Samantha Agate,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 Apr. 2026
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Director Nick Castle’s 1984 sci-fi adventure of a trailer park kid recruited to join an interstellar war against Xur and the ruthless Ko-Dan Armada is still a fantastic flick over 40 years after its original theatrical release.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Van Dyke, who is stationed at Fort Bragg near Fayetteville, North Carolina, was charged Thursday with the unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, theft of nonpublic government information, commodities fraud, wire fraud and making an unlawful monetary transaction.—
Gary D. Robertson,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
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He has been charged in New York federal court with unlawful use of confidential government information for personal gain, theft of nonpublic government information, commodities fraud, wire fraud and making an unlawful monetary transaction.—
Erik Ortiz,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
As the operation grows across the city-wide black market, their ambitions clash with corrupt authorities, rival butchers and a shifting political landscape, pushing the family toward dangerous alliances and violent consequences.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
19 Apr. 2026
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Then Joe Biden and his corrupt administration comes along and makes matters worse, allowing thousands of criminals to enter our country illegally, pillaging Americans while being pampered in luxury hotels on our dime.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The actors sprang to life, staging a lurid scene in which an evil mistress named Selina frames the heroine for killing her unborn child.—
Chang Che,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Clearly, the Iranian regime is evil.—
Tom Jurkowsky,
Baltimore Sun,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Christian moralists thundered against the sinful pleasures of watching naked female flesh at the Spectacles.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
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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
Adjective
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Now, is that the same as a soldier betting on the capture of a vicious dictator?—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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Beijing has long struggled to drive domestic consumption, while brutal competition in many industries has pushed producers to cut prices, triggering a vicious cycle in which people hold off on purchases in anticipation of coming discounts.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The combination of a shaky bullpen and even worse infield defense harmed the Twins multiple times during the team’s current four-game losing streak.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
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To be unreasonable is to be a bad survivalist.—
Nikhil Krishnan,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unethical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unethical. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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