# morally bankrupt

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/morally-bankrupt
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Having no morals, unethical.

## Examples

- That company is morally bankrupt.
- The politician was considered morally bankrupt after he stole money from the charity fund.
- The critics argued that the corporation was morally bankrupt, as it prioritized record profits over the safety and well-being of its workers.

## Origin

From the term bankrupt, used in the sense of a person or entity completely lacking a particular quality. The construction applies the financial state of insolvency to the sphere of ethics.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.