unethical

[ uhn-eth-i-kuhl ]

adjective

1. lacking moral principles; unwilling to adhere to proper rules of conduct.
2. not in accord with the standards of a profession:

   She treated patients outside the area of her training, and the appropriate medical organization punished her unethical behavior.

unethical

/ ʌnˈɛθɪkəl /

adjective

1. not ethical; improper

   companies involved in unethical practices

Other Words From

• un·ethi·cal·ly adverb
• un·ethi·cal·ness un·ethi·cali·ty noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of unethical¹

un- ¹ + ethical

Example Sentences

It’s clearly unethical to perform controlled crash tests with human subjects.

From Outside Online

Using state filings is not wrong, illegal, or unethical — it’s just the standard way to do business today.

From TechCrunch

I am fully aware that, in most cases, removing animals from their natural environment is unethical.

From Washington Post

Waters said in a statement their “unethical conduct directly led to the recent market volatility.”

From Washington Post

He said, “I will not sit idly by while unethical liberals try to steal this election.”

From Washington Post

It may be surprising that Christian authors would use tactics that even those outside the church consider unethical.

From The Daily Beast

I was surprised that so many people bought the spin that I somehow I had done something unethical.

From The Daily Beast

The Columbia Journalism Review, which did not even manage to spell my name correctly, charged that I had been unethical.

From The Daily Beast

In the email, Jackson labels Parker an "eccentric unethical billionaire."

From The Daily Beast

Last month, a senior physician at Guantánamo dismissed claims that force-feeding is unethical.

From The Daily Beast

“Unethical to a client,” reproved Drew linking arm with the operative.

From Project Gutenberg

Yet the practice is considered unethical by the Hopi themselves and is being discontinued.

From Project Gutenberg

This outing was in the days before "jacking for deer" had become not only illegal but entirely unethical.

From Project Gutenberg

Wittels shows that the unconscious unethical desires break into consciousness and cause tragedy.

From Project Gutenberg

They are concerned about unethical conduct by public officials, and discouraged by activist courts that try to redefine marriage.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• corrupt
• illegal
• improper
• underhanded
• unfair
• unprofessional
• unscrupulous
• wrong