Unscrupulous is an adjective describing someone who acts without moral principles or ignoring ethical standards. It conveys a lack of scruples, often associated with deceitful or exploitative behavior. The term emphasizes deliberate, unscrupulous conduct, typically for personal gain, and is used in formal or serious critical contexts.
"The unscrupulous contractor cut corners to maximize profit, leaving homeowners to deal with unsafe, unfinished work."
"Investigators exposed the unscrupulous tactics used to sway voters and tarnish the campaign."
"The board fired the executive after uncovering unscrupulous financial practices."
"Journalists condemned the unscrupulous business practices that harmed vulnerable customers."
Unscrupulous derives from the prefix un- (not) + scruple, which itself comes from Latin scrupulus (a small sharp stone, pebble; figuratively, a sting or scruple). The word scruple entered English in Middle English via Old French scrupule, originally meaning a sting of conscience or moral doubt. Over time, scruple broadened to concern with ethical considerations or hesitation about doing something wrong. The negative form un- attached to scruple yields unscrupled (less common) and unscrupulous as the standard modern form. The earliest recorded use of unscrupulous in English appears in the 19th century, aligning with the era’s expanding vocabulary around morality, business ethics, and political rhetoric. Throughout its evolution, unscrupulous consistently retained its negative moral charge—designating someone who acts without ethical restraints. Its usage intensified in discussions of corruption, exploitation, and unethical behavior, especially in journalism, law, and public discourse. The word pairs the negation prefix with the root idea of moral scruple, highlighting a deliberate absence of conscience. In contemporary use, unscrupulous strongly connotes calculated, biased or predatory behavior, often in competitive or commodified contexts.
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Words that rhyme with "Unscrupulous"
-ous sounds
-lus sounds
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Pronunciation: /ənˈskruːpjələs/ (US/UK/AU share this). Break it into four syllables: un-SCRU-pu-lous. The primary stress is on SCRU-, with the vowel in that syllable being a long /uː/ as in 'moon'. The first syllable is a schwa /ən/. After SCRU, the 'pu' is a light /pjə/ sequence, and the final 'lous' is /ləs/. Practice by saying "un-SCRU-py-lus" slowly, then blend to /ənˈskruːpjələ s/ in connected speech. For audio reference, consult a standard dictionary voice recording or pronunciation platform.
Common mistakes include misplacing the stress (say un-SCRU-pu-lous, not un-scru-PU-lous), pronouncing the middle as /s-krup-ju/ or turning /pjə/ into /pu/ too strongly, and flattening the /ə/ into a full vowel across the first unstressed syllable. Another frequent error is softening the long /uː/ into /ʌ/ as in 'strug'. Correction tips: keep /ˈskruː/ as a tight cluster with the long /uː/, use a light /pj/ transition for the 'pu' part, and end with a light /ləs/. Record yourself and compare to /ənˈskruːpjələs/.
Across US/UK/AU, the pronunciation is largely similar: /ənˈskruːpjələ s/. The main difference lies in rhoticity and vowel quality: US tends to be rhotic with a slightly tighter /ɹ/ quality; UK is non-rhotic in some regions, affecting the vowel before r; AU mirrors UK in non-rhotic tendencies but often features a broader, closer /uː/ and a more centralized /ə/ in the second syllable. In careful speech, you’ll hear the /ˈskruː/ cluster are consistent; variations appear in the trailing schwa and the final /əs/ cadence.
Difficulties center on the /ˈskruːp/ cluster, where the long /uː/ contrasts with a light /pj/ glide, and the following unstressed syllables that compress into /ələs/. The initial un- with the stress on SCRU requires keeping a clear schwa before the consonant cluster while not delaying onset. The tricky part is maintaining the /pj/ sequence as a rapid transition rather than a separate syllable. Focused practice with minimal pairs helps: SCRU- versus SCRUB-, and careful monitoring of the final /əs/ vs /əs/.
A unique feature is the consonant cluster skr-u- followed by a liquid /l/ and a trailing /əs/. The 'scru' part involves a precise /skruː/ consonant blend that can tempt speakers to shorten or misplace the vowel. The sequence /pj/ after /uː/ is a light palatal glide that should not be articulated as a separate full vowel. Keeping the long /uː/ and then a crisp /pj/ helps avoid an overpronounced 'ju' sound.
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