ethical
Americanadjective
-
pertaining to or dealing with morals or the principles of morality; pertaining to right and wrong in conduct.
-
being in accordance with the rules or standards for right conduct or practice, especially the standards of a profession.
It was not considered ethical for physicians to advertise.
- Antonyms:
- immoral
-
(of drugs) sold only upon medical prescription.
adjective
-
in accordance with principles of conduct that are considered correct, esp those of a given profession or group
-
of or relating to ethics
-
(of a medicinal agent) available legally only with a doctor's prescription or consent
Other Word Forms
- ethicality noun
- ethically adverb
- ethicalness noun
- hyperethical adjective
- nonethical adjective
- pseudoethical adjective
- superethical adjective
- unethical adjective
Etymology
Origin of ethical
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.
Those of us who practice writing as a professional craft have an ethical duty, and sometimes a contractual obligation, to ensure that our work is original.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
Cordes noted that credentialed tax professionals — including enrolled agents and CPAs — have due-diligence and ethical obligations.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026
Inside the army, commercial exports of weapons at a time of war present an ethical dilemma.
From Barron's • Mar. 28, 2026
The push goes beyond paper currency: federal officials have also approved a commemorative gold coin bearing Trump’s likeness, while proposals for a $1 coin featuring the president have raised legal and ethical questions.
From Salon • Mar. 28, 2026
My father told me that night that there had been a serious question in his mind about how ethical it was for him to give Danny books to read behind his father’s back.
From "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok
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.
