ENGLISH
REFERENCE

unscrupulous

adj.
C1 Advanced US //ənsˈkɹupjəɫəs// UK //ʌnskɹˈuːpjʊləs// un·scrupu·lous

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.


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.

Antonyms
Origin

From un- + scrupulous.

Usage

Typically used attributively before a noun like 'person', 'business', or 'method'.

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