ethically

American  

[eth-i-klee] / ˈɛθ ɪ kli /

adverb

1. in a way that relates to morals, the principles of morality, or right and wrong conduct.

   It is ethically unjustifiable to provide a lower standard of care to patients with lower income.

2. in a way that accords with moral principles or the rules or norms for right conduct, often specific to a profession.

   Teachers have an obligation to act ethically, promoting positive values and maintaining professional standards of behavior.

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Other Word Forms

• hyperethically adverb
• nonethically adverb
• pseudoethically adverb
• superethically adverb

Etymology

Origin of ethically

ethical ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

When you do something ethically, you do it in an honest and principled way. Investing your money ethically requires you to carefully consider the way it will be used, and whether it will cause any harm. If a coffee grower pledges to act ethically, it means they promise to pay farmers fairly, and cosmetic companies run their businesses ethically when they use sustainable ingredients and refuse to test their products on animals. In both examples, there is thought given not just to making money, but to the way workers, animals, and the planet might be affected. The adverb ethically has a Greek root, ethos, "moral character."

Example Sentences

But the recent surge has prompted criticism from influential rabbis, settler leaders and even military chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, who described the attacks as "morally and ethically unacceptable".

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

Neither is it ethically appropriate for a media company to pretend it doesn’t exist, or to recast it as a launch for a reality show storyline.

From Salon • Mar. 21, 2026

In rare diseases and advanced cancer, such demands can be impractical, ethically dubious and less informative than carefully analyzed real-world evidence.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

BBC News has counted at least eight different initiatives trying to come up with a label that could get the kind of global recognition that the "Fair Trade" logo has for ethically made products.

From BBC • Mar. 15, 2026

But a PIH doctor spoke up, saying that he had signed the Hippocratic Oath to practice medicine ethically, but he didn’t remember signing an oath to do it in a cost-effective way.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

Related Words

• culturally
• philosophically
• politically
• psychologically