Word
unscrupulous
Phoneticsun·scrupu·lous
US/ənsˈkɹupjəɫəs/
UK/ʌnskɹˈuːpjʊləs/
Definition
adj. having no moral principles and not caring about being fair or honest. You use this to describe someone who will do anything to get what they want, even if it hurts others.
adj. showing a lack of moral principles or ethical standards. Often describes individuals or businesses that exploit others for personal gain or profit.
Examples
“The unscrupulous salesman lied about the car's history.”
“Unscrupulous landlords sometimes refuse to return security deposits even when the apartment is left in perfect condition.”
“The investigation revealed how unscrupulous financial advisors had systematically targeted elderly clients, convincing them to move their life savings into high-risk, high-commission investment vehicles.”
Examples
simple
“The unscrupulous salesman lied about the car's history.”
contextual
“Unscrupulous landlords sometimes refuse to return security deposits even when the apartment is left in perfect condition.”
complex
“The investigation revealed how unscrupulous financial advisors had systematically targeted elderly clients, convincing them to move their life savings into high-risk, high-commission investment vehicles.”
Usage
Typically used attributively before a noun like 'person', 'business', or 'method'.
Real-World Examples
“At the moment, unscrupulous agencies too often rely on low-paid migrant labour, ignoring the linguistic and caring skills required do a safe and competent job.” “Prime Minister Andy Burnham said unscrupulous tradespeople "leave families with months of stress" as well as unfinished work.” Etymology
From un- + scrupulous.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/unscrupulous