Ethical Terms

adjective deserving of contempt; despicable

• His contemptible behavior towards his colleagues was not tolerated in the professional environment.
• I can't believe he would do something so contemptible to his own friends.
• That guy is just straight up contemptible, I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him.
• The dark clouds looming over the city seemed to cast a contemptible shadow on the once vibrant streets.

noun a person who leads others into error or misfortune; a cheat or trickster

• The con artist was known as a skilled deceiver, able to manipulate people with ease.
• I can't believe he lied to us like that, what a deceiver!
• She's such a snake, always deceiving people for her own gain.
• The mirage in the desert was a deceiver, tricking travelers into thinking there was water ahead.

adjective not honest; disingenuous or deceitful

• The businessman was accused of being dishonest in his financial dealings.
• I can't trust him, he's always being dishonest about everything.
• She's such a snake, always being dishonest to get what she wants.
• His dishonesty was like a dark cloud hanging over the company's reputation.

noun A person, especially a man, who is in the same position or shares a particular experience with another.

• It is important to show compassion and empathy towards our fellowman in times of need.
• Hey, let's all chip in and help out our fellowman who is going through a tough time.
• We should always have each other's backs and look out for our fellowman.
• In the grand scheme of things, we are all just fellowmen trying to navigate this complex world together.

adjective extremely disgusting or offensive

adverb in a very obvious and unacceptable way; extremely

• The company's financial statements were found to be grossly inaccurate.
• She grossly underestimated how long it would take to complete the project.
• That movie was grossly overrated, it was not worth the hype.
• His behavior was grossly out of line, it was completely unacceptable.

noun lack of good judgment or wisdom; behavior that is not sensible or wise

• The politician's indiscretion was widely criticized by the public.
• I heard about Sarah's little indiscretion at the office party.
• He got caught up in some serious indiscretions last night.
• Her indiscretion was like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

noun failure to observe or heed; neglect

• The inobservance of proper safety protocols led to a serious accident at the construction site.
• His inobservance of deadlines always gets him into trouble with his boss.
• The inobservance of rules is a surefire way to get yourself kicked out of the club.
• Her inobservance of social cues often makes her come across as rude and aloof.

verb to have a spontaneous abortion; to fail to achieve the intended outcome

• The doctor informed the patient that she may miscarry due to complications.
• I heard that she might miscarry because of health issues.
• She's worried she might lose the baby and miscarry.
• The project was in jeopardy and could potentially miscarry if not handled properly.

noun a commandment or good deed in Jewish law

• In Jewish tradition, performing a mitzvah is considered a sacred duty.
• I heard Sarah is organizing a mitzvah project for the community.
• Let's do a mitzvah and help out at the local shelter this weekend.
• Helping your neighbor with their groceries is like a mitzvah for the soul.

noun a word that can be countable or uncountable

• The moral climate of the company is reflected in its strict code of conduct and ethical guidelines.
• The moral climate around here is pretty relaxed, as long as you don't break any major rules.
• The moral climate in this school is all over the place - some kids follow the rules, while others don't care at all.
• In a society where materialism reigns supreme, the moral climate can often be overlooked.

adjective relating to or expressing penitence or repentance

• The churchgoers engaged in penitential prayers during the Lenten season.
• After making a mistake, he took a penitential approach to make amends.
• She was feeling penitential after messing up her presentation.
• The artist's use of dark colors gave the painting a penitential mood.

adjective having or showing a dutiful spirit of reverence for God or an earnest wish to fulfill religious obligations

• The pious man spent hours in prayer and meditation each day.
• She's known around town as the most pious person you'll ever meet.
• I can't stand how pious he acts all the time.
• Her pious devotion to her work was unmatched by anyone else in the office.

noun a quality of being devoutly religious or showing reverence for deity

• Her piousness was evident in the way she attended church every Sunday without fail.
• His piousness was a bit overwhelming for some of his friends, who preferred a more laid-back approach to religion.
• I don't know why she's always showing off her piousness, it's kind of annoying.
• The piousness of the old cathedral seemed to seep into the very stones themselves, creating an atmosphere of reverence and awe.

noun a rebuke or reprimand

• The teacher's tone of voice carried a sense of reprehension towards the student's behavior.
• I could tell from the way she looked at him that there was some serious reprehension going on.
• He totally got hit with some major reprehension for skipping class again.
• The dark clouds overhead seemed to cast a shadow of reprehension over the town.

noun a person's intellectual and moral faculties

adjective sane or rational

• It is important to seek help from a professional if you or someone you know is not in their right mind.
• I can't believe she thought that was a good idea, she must not be in her right mind.
• I must be out of my right mind if I agree to that crazy plan.
• After a long day of work, I feel like I'm not in my right mind anymore.

verb to make holy or sacred; to purify or free from sin

• The priest sanctified the holy water before the ceremony.
• I feel like cleaning my room will sanctify the space.
• Dude, let's sanctify this party with some good music!
• Her dedication to her work sanctifies her reputation in the industry.

noun a mark or stain, especially one that damages the appearance of something

verb to damage the reputation or character of someone or something

• The politician's reputation was smirched by the scandal.
• I can't believe she tried to smirch my name like that!
• Don't let anyone smirch your good name.
• The dark clouds seemed to smirch the otherwise clear blue sky.

verb to be supported or held up by something

preposition used to indicate the place or position where someone or something is located

• The company's official stance is to always stand on the side of ethical business practices.
• I always stand on my tiptoes to see better at concerts.
• I can't believe she stood me up on our date last night.
• In times of adversity, it's important to stand on your principles and not waver.

adjective capable of being maintained or defended; able to be upheld or justified

• The argument put forth by the researchers is tenable based on the evidence provided.
• I think his excuse for being late is pretty tenable, don't you?
• I don't think that excuse is very tenable, if you ask me.
• The foundation of their relationship is no longer tenable.

adjective describing someone or something as lacking virtue or moral goodness

• Her actions were deemed unvirtuous by society's standards.
• He's always getting into trouble for his unvirtuous behavior.
• I can't believe she did something so unvirtuous!
• The unvirtuous path may seem easier, but it leads to regret in the end.

adjective allowing or able to be forgiven easily; excusable

• Stealing a pen from work may be considered a venial offense.
• Eating the last cookie in the jar is a venial sin in this household.
• Skipping class is just a venial sin compared to what others do.
• In the grand scheme of things, telling a white lie is a venial transgression.

adjective having strong sexual desire; lustful

• The novel explores the complex nature of human desire, delving into the characters' concupiscent tendencies.
• She couldn't help but feel concupiscent whenever he was around.
• That movie is so steamy, it's full of concupiscent scenes.
• His concupiscent appetite for success drove him to work tirelessly towards his goals.

noun A person who carries and gives birth to a baby for another person or couple

adjective Describing the type of carrier involved in the pregnancy process

• The couple decided to use a gestational carrier to carry their baby to term.
• My sister is acting as a gestational carrier for her best friend.
• I heard she's being a baby oven for someone as a gestational carrier.
• The company acted as a gestational carrier for the new product, nurturing it until it was ready for launch.