unethical

This term describes a violation of a moral code or a professional standard of conduct. It carries a strong negative connotation, often implying a deliberate choice to ignore fairness, honesty, or integrity for personal or corporate gain. In professional contexts, such as medicine or law, it refers specifically to a breach of a formal code of ethics. While immoral is a broader term for general wrongdoing, unethical is frequently used to describe behavior that is unacceptable within a specific institutional or vocational framework.