unethical

adjective

un·​eth·​i·​cal ˌən-ˈe-thi-kəl How to pronounce unethical (audio)
: not conforming to a high moral standard : morally wrong : not ethical
illegal and unethical business practices
immoral and unethical behavior
unethically adverb

Examples of unethical in a Sentence

unethical treatment of prisoners of war that was a clear violation of international law an unethical attorney, he had no qualms about getting off clients who he knew were guilty
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
While these technologies hold legitimate applications, they can easily be weaponized for unethical purposes. Jason Crawforth, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025 The play follows the lives of four unethical Chicago real estate agents. Madison E. Goldberg, People.com, 1 Apr. 2025 Most people think that this is too much—that couples are overspending, that venders are overcharging, and that the wedding-industrial complex verges on unethical. Adam Iscoe, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025 According to the Conviction Review Unit report, in the years following the trial, one of the lawyers was disbarred, a second had his law license suspended for unethical behavior and a third, who dropped out of the case just before trial, was convicted of swindling a client. Jessica Lussenhop, ProPublica, 29 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unethical

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unethical was in 1871

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Cite this Entry

“Unethical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unethical. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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