unethical
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
wrong or dishonest according to general moral principles.
morally reprehensible or lacking in moral principles; not conforming to accepted standards of right and wrong.
Simple“It is unethical to lie to your customers just to make a sale.”
In context“Many people believe that testing cosmetic products on animals is fundamentally unethical, regardless of the potential benefits to the industry.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
breaking the official rules or standards of a specific job, like a doctor or lawyer.
violating the formal code of conduct or established standards of a particular profession or organization.
Simple“The lawyer was punished for unethical behavior after sharing private information about a client.”
In context“The medical board launched an investigation into the surgeon's unethical practices after several patients reported being pressured into unnecessary procedures.”
SynonymsAntonyms
“But at the moment, AI is often used in ways researchers find annoying and unethical.”
From un- + ethical.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.