amoral
Americanadjective
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not involving questions of right or wrong; without moral quality; neither moral nor immoral.
-
having no moral standards, restraints, or principles; unaware of or indifferent to questions of right or wrong.
a completely amoral person.
adjective
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having no moral quality; nonmoral
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without moral standards or principles
Usage
Amoral is often wrongly used where immoral is meant. Immoral is properly used to talk about the breaking of moral rules, amoral about people who have no moral code or about places or situations where moral considerations do not apply
Synonym Usage
See immoral.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of amoral
Compare meaning
How does amoral compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
When a person is amoral, they couldn't care less if something is right or wrong. An amoral CEO fires employees so he can make more money, unconcerned about how losing their jobs might affect them. The adjective amoral adds the prefix a-, "not," to moral, "concerned with the principles of right and wrong." Amoral people don't have a moral code — the morality or ethics of what they do doesn't matter to them, whether or not they're aware of the concept of right and wrong. Strictly speaking, you can even describe a newborn baby as amoral, since she doesn't yet have the experience to understand morality.
Vocabulary lists containing amoral
Commonly Confused Words, List 3
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List 5
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Commonly Confused Words, List 9
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The former head of the Malaysian Anti Corruption Commission, Latheefa Koya, says his decision is "disgraceful, amoral, and shames the nation in the eyes of the international community".
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
Frederick was a modestly talented flutist and composer, although here, as written by Mr. Cotton and played by Stephen Hagan, he’s mostly a full-time amoral tyrant and part-time self-important fop.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
The figurative enemy, Hofstadter wrote, “is a perfect model of malice, a kind of amoral superman — sinister, ubiquitous, powerful, cruel, sensual, luxury-loving.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026
No matter how many interviews he gives reassuring reporters that his days of amoral ambition are over, he just can’t seem to back it up with actions that would prove his alleged new virtue.
From Salon ● Jun. 15, 2026
There was nothing sanctified about the laws of the streets—the laws were amoral and practical.
From "Between the World and Me" by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
