unethical

[ uhn-eth-i-kuhl ]

adjective

1. lacking moral principles; unwilling to adhere to proper rules of conduct.
2. not in accord with the standards of a profession:

   She treated patients outside the area of her training, and the appropriate medical organization punished her unethical behavior.

unethical

/ ʌnˈɛθɪkəl /

adjective

1. not ethical; improper

   companies involved in unethical practices

Other Words From

• un·ethi·cal·ly adverb
• un·ethi·cal·ness un·ethi·cali·ty noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of unethical¹

un- ¹ + ethical

Example Sentences

At the same time, he said, “when there is legitimate evidence of malfeasance, of a crime, of unethical behavior, it’s all too easy to claim it was fake. ... Our ability to hold individuals accountable when evidence does exist is also damaged by the rampant availability of digital fakes.”

From Los Angeles Times

As local government careens from one corruption scandal to the next, the city and county of Los Angeles each charged forward this election season with ballot measures to try to crack down on unethical behavior by public officials.

From Los Angeles Times

The easiest way to explain this is to say it was bizarre and baffling, but as the Times noted at the time, it was “considered unethical in the legal community.”

From Slate

And a lawyer for Mackris in 2018, looking back at her original agreement, called the arrangement “profoundly unethical” arguing that the lawyer-switch “left Ms. Mackris virtually without legal counsel.”

From Slate

"That's kind of deeply both unethical and illegal," says Lenny Mendonca, California Governor Gavin Newsom's former chief economic and business adviser.

From BBC

Related Words

• corrupt
• illegal
• improper
• underhanded
• unfair
• unprofessional
• unscrupulous
• wrong