ENGLISH
REFERENCE

immoral

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˌɪˈmɔɹəɫ// UK //ɪmˈɒɹəl// im·moral

adj. describing behavior that is wrong or evil according to accepted standards of what is right. You use this for actions that break important moral rules.

adj. violating established principles of right and wrong; ethically unacceptable. Often used to describe conduct that is considered wicked or depraved rather than merely illegal.


SIMPLE

Many people believe that lying for profit is immoral.

CONTEXTUAL

The public condemned the company's decision to ignore safety warnings as deeply immoral and greedy.

COMPLEX

Philosophers often debate whether an action can be legally permissible while remaining fundamentally immoral within a specific ethical framework.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From im- + moral.

Usage

Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'be', 'seem', or 'become'.

Pitfall

an amoral personan immoral personLearners confuse 'immoral' (violating moral rules) with 'amoral' (lacking any moral sense or being indifferent to right and wrong).

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