ethical

American  

[eth-i-kuhl] / ˈɛθ ɪ kəl /

adjective

1. pertaining to or dealing with morals or the principles of morality; pertaining to right and wrong in conduct.

2. 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.

   Synonyms:

   honorable, virtuous, righteous, honest, upright, moral

   Antonyms:

   immoral

3. (of drugs) sold only upon medical prescription.

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ethical British  

/ ˈɛθɪkəl /

adjective

1. in accordance with principles of conduct that are considered correct, esp those of a given profession or group

2. of or relating to ethics

3. (of a medicinal agent) available legally only with a doctor's prescription or consent

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Other Word Forms

• ethicality noun
• ethically adverb
• ethicalness noun
• hyperethical adjective
• nonethical adjective
• pseudoethical adjective
• superethical adjective
• unethical adjective

Etymology

Origin of ethical

First recorded in 1600–10; ethic + -al ¹

Explanation

For someone who is honest and follows good moral standards, use the adjective ethical. An ethical teacher will grade your papers honestly — even if she catches you sticking your tongue out at her. Ethical comes from the Greek ethos "moral character" and describes a person or behavior as right in the moral sense - truthful, fair, and honest. Sometimes the word is used for people who follow the moral standards of their profession. An ethical lawyer or doctor does not try to take advantage of the client or patient's unfortunate situation. If something has happened and you are not sure what the right thing to do is, you are having an ethical dilemma.

Example Sentences

In addition to the ethical questions raised by artists around Spotify’s business practices, the platform stopped working reliably to surface new music—or reached “enshittification,” if you will.

From Slate • Apr. 12, 2026

Even Claude, billed as one of the most ethical AI super-brains out there, engages in bad behavior.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

Australia has long supposed that its troops are the kind you want to be fighting alongside, but also fighting against: effective, hardy, brave and loyal while being fair and ethical.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

The ethical question was a factor in Maven's early years, when Google was the program's original AI contractor.

From Barron's • Apr. 5, 2026

For the physicists of the atomic bomb program, Germany’s surrender on May 7, 1945, complicated the moral and ethical issues connected with the device they had invented.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• good
• honest
• honorable
• humane
• moral
• principled
• proper
• virtuous