unscrupulous

/ʌnˈskruːpjələs/ (bre, ipa) · [ənskrˈupjələs] /ʌnˈskruːpjələs/ (ame, ipa) · [ənskrˈupjələs] /ˌən-ˈskrü-pyə-ləs How to pronounce unscrupulous (audio)/ (ame, mw)

unscrupulous — 形容詞

  • unscrupulouspositive
  • more unscrupulouscomparative
  • most unscrupuloussuperlative

1. An unscrupulous person lies, cheats, or takes advantage of others without any co

1.形容詞B2
釋義

不擇手段

為私利不顧道德，什麼事都做得出來

An unscrupulous person lies, cheats, or takes advantage of others without any concern for right and wrong, simply because it helps them succeed or gain an advantage.

例句

After months of delays, the builder's unscrupulous tactics became clear to everyone.

經過數個月的延誤之後，建商不擇手段的做法終於讓所有人看清。

attributive: unscrupulous + tactics

An unscrupulous journalist invented details in the story to make it more exciting.

一名不擇手段的新聞記者捏造報導細節，只為了讓故事更聳動。

同義詞
  • unprincipled

    very similar in meaning, but slightly more formal and less common in everyday speech

  • dishonest

    focuses on lying and deception specifically, while 'unscrupulous' also covers unfairness and exploitation

  • unethical

    more commonly used in professional and business contexts to describe violations of a code of conduct

  • immoral

    broader and stronger in moral or religious connotation; 'unscrupulous' is more about practical ruthlessness

反義詞
  • scrupulous

    careful to do what is morally right; the direct opposite formed by the same root

  • principled

    acting according to a strong set of moral or ethical principles

用法筆記

This is a strong negative word implying a total lack of moral concern, not just occasional dishonesty. Frequently used in attributive position before nouns like 'tactics', 'methods', 'businessman', or 'behavior'.

常見錯誤

❌He is very unscrupulous about checking every detail.
✅He is very scrupulous about checking every detail.
💡'unscrupulous' means having no moral principles; 'scrupulous' means being very careful to do what is right.
❌The company's unscrupulous prices are very low.
✅The company's unscrupulous tactics are very dishonest.
💡'unscrupulous' describes morally dishonest behavior, not prices or qualities.