as in immoral
not guided by or showing a concern for what is right
an unprincipled businessman who made a lot of money—and didn't care how he did it
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Recent Examples of unprincipled
And if an unprincipled president began his tenure by firing senior military officers for partisan political reasons, the military would lose trust in the executive branch and tensions would grow between the two sides.
—
Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 13 Sep. 2024
Cazale excelled, instead, at playing people who are weak, weird, unprincipled, and visibly uncomfortable in their own skins.
—Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2024
This is not a way of saying that many salespeople are unprincipled professionals.
—Randy Illig, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
There are investigators that would do unethical, unprincipled things.
—Graham Kates, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2023
See All Example Sentences for unprincipled
Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 13 Sep. 2024
Cazale excelled, instead, at playing people who are weak, weird, unprincipled, and visibly uncomfortable in their own skins.
—Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2024
This is not a way of saying that many salespeople are unprincipled professionals.
—Randy Illig, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
There are investigators that would do unethical, unprincipled things.
—Graham Kates, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2023
See All Example Sentences for unprincipled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unprincipled
Adjective
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Basically, how others will judge you for moving on, if you’ll be seen as incompetent or immoral for quitting.—
Vicki Salemi,
Boston Herald,
20 July 2025
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With his opaque history and sources of wealth, his super-powerful friends and his immoral appetites, Epstein became the perfect avatar for our at-home Hollywood heroism.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
19 July 2025
Adjective
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Son Hee is one half of a ruthless twin assassin duo, working alongside his brother Bacho.—
Allison DeGrushe Published,
EW.com,
14 July 2025
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Her 6-0, 6-0 rout at the hands of a ruthless Iga Świątek was a reminder that no sport is more psychologically brutal than tennis.—
Charlie Eccleshare,
New York Times,
12 July 2025
Adjective
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Other Pell changes off the table for now An earlier version of Trump’s bill would have allowed Workforce Pell grants to be used at unaccredited training providers, stirring fears that unscrupulous entities might take advantage.—
Natalie Yahr,
jsonline.com,
19 July 2025
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These traits can manifest themselves in a tendency toward cunning, scheming and, at times, unscrupulous behavior.—
Andrew J. Hoffman,
The Conversation,
15 July 2025
Adjective
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After decades when Ukraine was seen as one of the most corrupt countries in the world, cleaning up its government has been held up as the most important condition for Kyiv to join the European Union and integrate more broadly with the West.—
Olena Harmash,
USA Today,
23 July 2025
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Lunn’s brand of reform disrupted the corrupt and complacent, empowered talent without regard to political allegiance, and relentlessly focused on the common good of his constituents.—
Time,
Time,
22 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unprincipled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unprincipled. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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