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
Eyal argues that there is nothing unethical about making a product that some people get addicted to, and asking social media companies to make their products less sticky is not the answer.
—
Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2026
Where to adopt your new puppy National Puppy Day was partly started to bring attention to the unethical practices of puppy mills.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
That’s irresponsible or unethical.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026
This position is both unethical and a breakdown of the rule of law.
—Mark Pirie, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unethical
Kristin Stoller, Fortune, 24 Mar. 2026
Where to adopt your new puppy National Puppy Day was partly started to bring attention to the unethical practices of puppy mills.
—Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
That’s irresponsible or unethical.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 12 Mar. 2026
This position is both unethical and a breakdown of the rule of law.
—Mark Pirie, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unethical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unethical
Adjective
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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
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The Michigan State Police said Robert Wilson, 44, of Gaylord, was arrested on March 25 and lodged at the Otsego County Jail on one charge each of accosting a minor for immoral purposes and using a computer to commit a crime.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Not many years ago, a ruthless man with an uneasy mind took power in his country and created a cult of personality.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
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The sequel picks up as Tyler Rake, back from the brink of death, gets hired to rescue a ruthless gangster’s family from prison.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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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
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Violating that trust is both cruel and unlawful.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Today, Christians observe Good Friday — a day when corrupt religious and political forces crucified Jesus of Nazareth as a common criminal on a rubbish heap outside the city walls of Jerusalem.—
Peter Cook,
New York Daily News,
3 Apr. 2026
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First there’s Phil Reizenstein, who, during a long career plumbing the depths of Magic City jurisprudence, has represented a former telenovela actor who killed a motorist in a road rage incident, as well as a DEA agent in an investigation into corrupt activities.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
3 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
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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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Gas and diesel prices have soared since the start of the Iran war, but the situation could get even worse later this year because of ethanol requirements and problems with fertilizer supply chains.—
E.J. Antoni,
Boston Herald,
6 Apr. 2026
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Flattening the curve—making bad floods somewhat less bad—feels achievable.—
Eric Klinenberg,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unethical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unethical. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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