uh-NETH-ik-uhl
/əˈnɛθɪkəl/
unethical is pronounced uh-NETH-ik-uhl (/əˈnɛθɪkəl/). Unethical describes conduct that violates moral principles or accepted standards of right and wrong, typically implying a deliberate disregard for fairness or integrity. It signals behavior that is morally unacceptable within a given social or professional context. The term combines a negative judgment about actions rather than about character alone, often used in formal or analytic discussion.
Unethical describes conduct that violates moral principles or accepted standards of right and wrong, typically implying a deliberate disregard for fairness or integrity. It signals behavior that is morally unacceptable within a given social or professional context. The term combines a negative judgment about actions rather than about character alone, often used in formal or analytic discussion.
"The company faced sharp criticism for its unethical sales tactics."
"Some researchers argued that the study's design was unethical and required stronger safeguards."
"Ethical guidelines exist precisely to prevent unethical choices in engineering and medicine."
Break it into three syllables: un-ETH-i-cal. Primary stress is on the second syllable: /ˌənˈeθɪkəl/ in US/UK. The first syllable uses a reduced /ən/ as in 'uh','n'. The central /eθ/ is like 'eth' in ethical, with a voiceless dental /θ/ as in 'think'. The final -cal ends with /kəl/, where the /lə/ is schwa-like before the dark /l/. In careful speech, you pronounce /ˌənˈeθɪ.kəl/. Audio reference: you can compare with 'ethical' /ˈeθɪ.kəl/ and add the preface /ən-/.
Two common errors are: 1) stressing the wrong syllable, saying un-ETH-i-cal with primary stress on the first syllable, weakening the /ˌ/; fix by placing strong stress on the second syllable. 2) mixing up the /θ/ as /f/ or /s/, leading to 'una-fh-...'—practice the voiceless dental fricative by placing the tongue just behind the upper teeth and blowing air. Also avoid neutralizing the vowel in the second syllable; keep /eθ/ clear rather than slurring to /e/.
In US and UK, the middle /eθ/ retains a crisp dental fricative; vowel qualities vary slightly: US often has a more nasalized /ˈeɪ/ in some fast speech variants, but ethically is /ˈeθɪkəl/. Australian tends to be non-rhotic with vowel reductions in unstressed syllables; you may hear /ənˈeθɪkəl/ with slightly flatter vowels and clearer /θ/ due to careful speech. Overall, the rhoticity does not affect the central /eθ/ much, but stress timing and vowel reduction can shift slightly.
Because of the dental fricative /θ/ in the second syllable, which is not present in many languages; many learners substitute /t/ or /f/. Also, the stress pattern places emphasis on the second syllable, which may be unfamiliar for speakers whose native language doesn’t have strong secondary-stress rules. Finally, the sequence /eθɪ/ requires careful mouth positioning: a mid-front vowel followed by a voiceless dental fricative, then a short /ɪ/ before /kəl/.
A distinct feature is the precise dental fricative /θ/ in the second syllable, unlike many common words with /t/ or /f/. You’ll also hear a stable secondary rhythm around the /ˈeθ/ cluster; ensuring the /e/ is clearly articulated before the /θ/ helps avoid slurring into /eɪ/ or /ɛ/ in quick speech.
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Ethics (from Greek ethnos, meaning 'nation, people' and -ikos, forming adjectives) has long roots in philosophy. unethical is a prefixed form combining un- (Latin in- ‘not’) with ethical (from Old French ethic, from Latin ethicus, from Greek ethos ‘character, custom’). The sense of ethical relates to principles governing right conduct. The modern sense of unethical as ‘not in accordance with accepted moral norms’ emerged in the 19th–20th centuries as moral philosophy and social reform movements intensified. The word ethical appears in English as early as the 14th century with senses tied to established moral norms; unethical is a later specialization, used to critique actions in business, law, medicine, and public life. Over time, unethical has retained a clear normative charge, often paired with terms like practices, behavior, conduct, and policy to denote violations of professional or societal standards.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "unethical" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "unethical"
-me) sounds
-cal sounds
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