ethical
adjective
eth·i·cal
ˈe-thi-kəl 
variants
or less commonly ethic
1
: of or relating to ethics
ethical theories
2
: involving or expressing moral approval or disapproval
ethical judgments
3
: conforming to accepted standards of conduct
ethical behavior
4
of a drug
: restricted to sale only on a doctor's prescription
Synonyms
Examples of ethical in a Sentence
Some doctors feel that this procedure is not medically ethical.
the ethical behavior expected of every member of the police force
Recent Examples on the Web
By launching an adaptive range, Primark positions itself as a leader in ethical, forward-thinking retail.
—
Kate Hardcastle, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
One giant ethical concern centers on Trump’s majority ownership of the tokens: 80% of the coin’s supply is held by Trump Organization affiliates CIC Digital and Fight Fight Fight LLC — a concentration that appears designed to personally enrich the president.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 21 Jan. 2025
The launch of President-elect Donald Trump's new cryptocurrency token, $TRUMP, has raised a host of ethical and legal concerns.
—Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025
The rhetorical question was meant to help believers think about their actions toward others, a kind of ethical shorthand.
—Jason Derose, NPR, 20 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for ethical 
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Kate Hardcastle, Forbes, 22 Jan. 2025
One giant ethical concern centers on Trump’s majority ownership of the tokens: 80% of the coin’s supply is held by Trump Organization affiliates CIC Digital and Fight Fight Fight LLC — a concentration that appears designed to personally enrich the president.
—Allison Morrow, CNN, 21 Jan. 2025
The launch of President-elect Donald Trump's new cryptocurrency token, $TRUMP, has raised a host of ethical and legal concerns.
—Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025
The rhetorical question was meant to help believers think about their actions toward others, a kind of ethical shorthand.
—Jason Derose, NPR, 20 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for ethical
Dictionary Entries Near ethical
Cite this Entry
“Ethical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ethical. Accessed 26 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
ethical
adjective
eth·i·cal
ˈeth-i-kəl
1
: of or relating to ethics
2
a
: following accepted rules of conduct
b
: following professional standards of conduct
3
: sold only on a doctor's prescription
ethical drugs
Medical Definition
ethical
1 of 2 adjective
eth·i·cal
ˈeth-i-kəl
variants
also ethic
1
: conforming to accepted professional standards of conduct
2
of a drug
: restricted to sale only on a doctor's prescription
ethical
2 of 2 noun
: an ethical drug
Legal Definition
ethical
adjective
eth·i·cal
ˈe-thi-kəl
1
: of or relating to ethics
2
: conforming to accepted professional standards of conduct
ethically
adverb
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