immoral

[ih-mawr-uhl, ih-mor-]

adjective

1. violating moral principles; not conforming to the patterns of conduct usually accepted or established as consistent with principles of personal and social ethics.

2. licentious or lascivious.

immoral

/ ɪˈmɒrəl /

adjective

1. transgressing accepted moral rules; corrupt

2. sexually dissolute; profligate or promiscuous

3. unscrupulous or unethical

   immoral trading

4. tending to corrupt or resulting from corruption

   an immoral film

   immoral earnings

Other Word Forms

• immorally adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of immoral¹

First recorded in 1650–60; im- ² + moral

Synonym Study

Immoral, abandoned, depraved describe one who makes no attempt to curb self-indulgence. Immoral, referring to conduct, applies to one who acts contrary to or does not obey or conform to standards of morality; it may also mean licentious and perhaps dissipated. Abandoned, referring to condition, applies to one hopelessly, and usually passively, sunk in wickedness and unrestrained appetites. Depraved, referring to character, applies to one who voluntarily seeks evil and viciousness. Immoral, amoral, nonmoral, and unmoral are sometimes confused with one another. Immoral means not moral and connotes evil or licentious behavior. Amoral, nonmoral, and unmoral, virtually synonymous although the first is by far the most common form, mean utterly lacking in morals (either good or bad), neither moral nor immoral. However, since, in some contexts, there is a stigma implicit in a complete lack of morals, being amoral, nonmoral, or unmoral is sometimes considered just as reprehensible as being immoral.

Example Sentences

They recruited the middle class to argue the death tax is an immoral double tax that hurts families, farms, and businesses.

Read more on Barron's

She called the culture "immoral", claiming "some individuals were protected and promoted" and that key internal appointments often "lacked transparency, favouring personal contacts, political allies or favouritism".

Read more on BBC

“Her attempt to profit from her deceased husband’s blood is not just immoral, it is pure betrayal,” he said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He condemned Fuentes, saying he was “fomenting Jew hatred, and his incitements are not only immoral and un-Christian, they risk violence.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It said this was a breach of its disciplinary policy relating to "indecent, offensive or immoral behaviour" and "offensive use of social media".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• abandoned 
• debauched 
• lascivious 
• libertine 
• licentious 
• promiscuous