unscrupulous
Americanadjective
adjective
Related Words
Unscrupulous, unprincipled refer to lack of moral standards or conscience to guide one's conduct. An unscrupulous person is without scruples of conscience, and disregards, or has contempt for, laws of right or justice with which they are perfectly well acquainted, and which should restrain their actions: Methods of making money that are unscrupulous often involve taking advantage of the unfortunate. An unprincipled person is without moral principles or ethical standards in their conduct or actions: He's an unprincipled rogue; Her unprincipled conduct got her dismissed from the job.
Other Word Forms
- unscrupulosity noun
- unscrupulously adverb
- unscrupulousness noun
Etymology
Origin of unscrupulous
First recorded in 1795–1805; un- 1 + scrupulous
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.
Dentists’ reputations for being maverick investors have made them targets for unscrupulous actors.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026
In fact, it was quickly abused by hundreds of unscrupulous operators who found they could set up ghost dealerships and then, for a fee, fiddle with the registry.
From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026
“He was talking about protecting the hardest-working and lowest-paid Californians who are often taken advantage of by unscrupulous actors.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 29, 2026
“There are some unscrupulous actors out there who present plans that seem to be ACA-compliant but are not,” she says.
From Barron's • Jan. 15, 2026
This judge was not only new, but was also unscrupulous.
From "When the Sea Turned to Silver" by Grace Lin
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.
