unethical

unethical — 形容詞

1. against accepted moral or professional rules about what is right and wrong — use

1.形容詞C2
釋義

不道德

違反道德或專業倫理

against accepted moral or professional rules about what is right and wrong — used especially to describe actions, decisions, or behavior that fail to meet the standards expected in a particular field or society.

例句

It is unethical for a lawyer to share a client's secrets without permission.

律師未經許可分享客戶的秘密是不道德的。

it is unethical for [someone] to [do something]

The board found that the CEO's secret deal with a competitor was completely unethical.

董事會認為執行長與競爭對手的秘密交易完全不道德。

同義詞
  • immoral

    Broader in scope; covers personal moral failings beyond professional or social standards. Unethical is more commonly used for professional conduct.

  • unscrupulous

    Highlights a lack of moral principles rather than a specific action. An unscrupulous person is willing to act unfairly to gain an advantage.

  • dishonest

    Narrower — specifically about deception or lying. Unethical covers dishonest actions but also other kinds of wrongdoing.

  • corrupt

    Implies misuse of power or position for personal gain, often involving bribery. Stronger and more specific than unethical.

反義詞
  • ethical

    Direct opposite; conforming to accepted moral and professional standards.

  • moral

    Broader in scope; refers to general principles of right and wrong rather than professional codes.

  • principled

    Implies acting according to strong, consistent ethical principles; more positive and proactive than ethical.

文法句型

it is unethical for [someone] to [do something]

[noun] was considered unethical

[noun] was unethical

用法筆記

Frequently used in formal contexts such as business, law, and academic writing. The word carries strong disapproval and implies a violation of shared standards, not merely a difference in personal opinion. The opposite ethical is more common in everyday speech.

常見錯誤

These business practices are unethical and therefore against the law.
These business practices are unethical, though not necessarily illegal.
💡Unethical means morally wrong; illegal means against the law. Many unethical actions are perfectly legal, and not all illegal actions are unethical.