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
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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
Their complaint cited lawyers who quit the DOJ or were fired by Bondi for refusing unethical orders.
—
Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for unethical
Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
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
See All Example Sentences for unethical
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unethical
Adjective
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Pope Francis changed the church’s social teaching to declare capital punishment immoral in all cases.—
Nicole Winfield,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
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For him, in becoming photosynthetic, civilized beings would only gain in hallmarks of intelligence, like autonomy and compassion, given that a species living off starlight converts energy to work without the messy, immoral mediation of a food chain.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Sure, he’s driven by vengeance and ruthless in his pursuit, but — without spoiling anything — his motivation is clouded at best, misplaced at worst.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2026
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Michael’s brother Sonny (James Caan) becomes the de facto crime boss as the Corleones prosecute a turf war against their rivals, and Michael eventually emerges as the new, and much more ruthless boss, much to the horror of his wife, Kay (Diane Keaton).—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
29 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
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According to a federal indictment, Maduro and his alleged co-conspirators spent decades working alongside some of the world’s most violent drug traffickers and corrupt regional officials to funnel large quantities of cocaine into the United States.—
Mirna Alsharif,
NBC news,
25 Apr. 2026
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Jackson argued that Burt Jones' work in the legislature was further evidence that the lieutenant governor is corrupt, a message that the health care tycoon is pushing in advertising too.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
23 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
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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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Its 28-game start matches the expansion 1962 Mets — who lost 120 games — along with 1964 and 1983 for the second-worst in team history behind an 8-20 opening in 1981.—
Ronald Blum,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
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Ossai isn’t a bad pass rusher either, getting five sacks in each of the last two seasons, a total that somehow would’ve ranked second on the Jets last season.—
Zack Rosenblatt,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unethical.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unethical. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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