as in immoral
not guided by or showing a concern for what is right
an unscrupulous businessman manipulated them into selling their land for practically nothing
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Recent Examples of unscrupulous
The Electoral College has not worked as Dickinson hoped, to protect the people from unscrupulous politicians.
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Jane E. Calvert / Made By History, TIME, 18 Oct. 2024
If bottles of fake pre-ban absinthe can be produced (perhaps by adding oak chips to modern absinthe and microwaving it) and then used to fill old bottles sourced via internet sales, the potential for unscrupulous profits is huge.
—Tom Mullen, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
Some, for example, were conned by an unscrupulous insurance agent into changing their Affordable Care Act health plans.
—Craig Silverman, ProPublica, 31 Oct. 2024
Instructed by Khamenei to go after Iran’s unscrupulous and less Islamist leaders, the organization’s younger corps naturally began attacking some of its oligarchs, accusing them of being corrupted by financial interests and of being too timid in their dealings with the West.
—Saeid Golkar, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unscrupulous 
Jane E. Calvert / Made By History, TIME, 18 Oct. 2024
If bottles of fake pre-ban absinthe can be produced (perhaps by adding oak chips to modern absinthe and microwaving it) and then used to fill old bottles sourced via internet sales, the potential for unscrupulous profits is huge.
—Tom Mullen, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
Some, for example, were conned by an unscrupulous insurance agent into changing their Affordable Care Act health plans.
—Craig Silverman, ProPublica, 31 Oct. 2024
Instructed by Khamenei to go after Iran’s unscrupulous and less Islamist leaders, the organization’s younger corps naturally began attacking some of its oligarchs, accusing them of being corrupted by financial interests and of being too timid in their dealings with the West.
—Saeid Golkar, Foreign Affairs, 11 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for unscrupulous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unscrupulous
Adjective
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This term was derived from bawd, which referred to someone who encouraged immoral or promiscuous behavior, particularly a procuress or pimp.Erik Kain, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024
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Some senior officers mistakenly believe that the military is obligated to resist orders that are unethical or immoral.Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 13 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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The ruthless military officer with the monocle and the swagger stick who sends his men to senseless death and/or turns traitor.Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2024
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Her wife and now-teenage daughter stood by her throughout the process, despite ruthless coverage from Mexican and Spanish news outlets, some of which continue to misgender and deadname her to this day.Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Others, such as Sri Lanka, have oscillated back and forth, with more democratic presidents and corrupt populist autocrats alternating as leaders.Larry Diamond, Foreign Affairs, 8 Nov. 2024
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Activists began showing up at election-board meetings with signs calling Lindsey corrupt.Jonathan Blitzer, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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All of this coincided with a period of unprincipled practices in the media.Meg Walters, Glamour, 20 Nov. 2024
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And if an unprincipled president began his tenure by firing senior military officers for partisan political reasons, the military would lose trust in the executive branch and tensions would grow between the two sides.Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 13 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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Those who supported the cat hunting ban said the methods to hunt mountain lions and bobcats were unethical and that hunting was unnecessary to regulate cat populations.Elise Schmelzer, The Denver Post, 5 Nov. 2024
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Accepting unpaid work perpetuates an unethical cycle where fair compensation is sidestepped in favor of exploitation. 6.Melissa Houston, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near unscrupulous
Cite this Entry
“Unscrupulous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unscrupulous. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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