unethical — not morally correct or acceptable; violating moral principles
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: not morally correct or acceptable; violating moral principles
Pronunciation (IPA): /ʌnˈɛθɪkəl/
Example Sentences
- The CEO's decision to fire employees right before Christmas was widely considered unethical.
- My cat thinks it's unethical that I only give him three treats instead of the entire bag.
- Using someone else's Netflix password might seem harmless, but technically it's unethical.
unethical
ADJECTIVE[/ʌnˈɛθɪkəl/]
not morally correct or acceptable; violating moral principles
Nobody told him it was unethical — but everyone around him knew it was wrong.
UN-ETHICAL — flip the ethical coin and land on the wrong side. ( UN = flip it, reverse it, turn it upside down → ETHICAL flipped = UNETHICAL)
Unethical deals make everyone skeptical — and trust is never reciprocal after that.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From the prefix 'un-' (not) combined with 'ethical,' which derives from Greek 'ethos' meaning character or custom. The word emerged in English to express the negation of moral principles.
Breakdown
un- (not) + ethical (from Greek ethos, character/custom + -ical, adjective suffix) = unethical (not morally correct)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The CEO's decision to fire employees right before Christmas was widely considered unethical.”
“My cat thinks it's unethical that I only give him three treats instead of the entire bag.”
“Using someone else's Netflix password might seem harmless, but technically it's unethical.”
“The journalist was fired for unethical reporting practices and fabricating interviews.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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