Adjectives of Negative Moral Traits · Adjectives: Abstract Attributes

acting in a way that goes against accepted moral standards or principles

"Lying is immoral."

"Lying to your customers is immoral and will eventually destroy your reputation as a business owner."

lacking fairness or justice in treatment or judgment

"That was an unfair trade."

"The decision is unfair and favors one side over the other without any good reason."

not fair or reasonable, lacking equality and fairness in treatment or decision-making

"The punishment was unjust."

"The law is unjust and punishes people for things that should not be crimes."

well-known for a bad quality or deed

"He is an infamous criminal."

"The infamous criminal was known around the world for his terrible crimes and the police finally caught him after ten years."

widely known for something negative or unfavorable

"A notorious criminal."

"The notorious pirate captain was feared throughout the seven seas for his cruelty and cunning."

(typically of children) behaving badly or disobeying rules

"The naughty boy broke it."

"The child is naughty and drew on the walls with crayons after his mother told him not to."

not trustworthy or reliable

"That was a dodgy deal."

"He looks dodgy and I would not trust him with my wallet or my personal information."

acting in a way that is different from what one claims to believe or value

"His behavior is hypocritical."

"The hypocritical politician preached about honesty while secretly lying to his constituents and taking bribes from corporations."

created to provoke indecent thoughts or desires

"The movie was obscene."

"The language is obscene and full of swear words that are not appropriate for children to hear."

displaying behavior that hides true intentions or feelings to mislead or trick

"His words were deceitful."

"The deceitful friend lied about where she had been and she pretended to be sick when actually she had gone to a party without inviting anyone else."

failing to remain faithful to a person, group, or cause

"He is disloyal to his friends."

"The disloyal employee shared company secrets with a competitor and was fired immediately after the boss found out."

having no moral principles and willing to do anything to achieve one's goals

"The lawyer is unscrupulous."

"The unscrupulous businessman cheated his partners out of millions of dollars and he fled the country before the police could arrest him."

behaving in a way that makes others feel inferior or belittled

"Her tone is condescending."

"The condescending manager spoke to his employees as if they were children and everyone resented his arrogant and patronizing attitude."

behaving or talking in a way that is inconsiderate or offensive to a person or thing

"His tone was disrespectful."

"The disrespectful teenager rolled his eyes when his father asked him to clean his room."

connected with a decline in moral standards

"The society was decadent."

"Some critics argue that the excessive materialism and superficiality of modern culture reflect a decadent society."

showing impolite behavior in a manner that is amusing or endearing

"The child was cheeky."

"The little boy gave a cheeky grin after he successfully hid his sister's favorite toy."

extremely evil or shockingly wicked in a way that deeply disturbs or offends

"The crime is heinous."

"The heinous crime shocked the entire community and people demanded that the murderer receive the harshest possible punishment under the law."

having or showing a strong desire to harm others

"The spirit is malevolent."

"The malevolent villain laughed cruelly as he revealed his evil plan to destroy the city and take control of the world."

responsible for an illegal act or wrongdoing

"He is guilty."

"The jury found the defendant guilty of all charges presented."

(of a person) dishonest, cruel, and taking pleasure in causing harm or suffering to others

"The villain is evil."

"The evil villain wanted to destroy the city but the superhero stopped him just in time."

showing discrimination or prejudice against people of a certain race or ethnic group

"His comment was racist."

"The politician's overtly racist remarks alienated a significant portion of the voting public."

discriminating against people based on their gender

"Her view was sexist."

"His sexist attitude towards his female colleagues created a hostile and unfair work environment."

using one's power or authority to do illegal things for personal gain or financial benefit

"The officer is corrupt."

"The corrupt official accepted bribes from construction companies and he was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for his crimes."

intending to cause harm or distress to others

"She spread malicious rumors."

"The malicious rumor spread quickly through the school and hurt the girl's reputation badly."

having an excessive and intense desire for something, especially wealth, possessions, or power

"The man is greedy."

"The greedy businessman raised prices unfairly and his customers switched to competitors who offered better value for their money."

influencing or controlling others in an unfair or deceptive way, often to achieve one's own goals

"She can be manipulative."

"The manipulative friend always made him feel guilty for saying no to her requests."

having a strong desire to harm others

"She is vindictive."

"The vindictive ex employee hacked into the company's computer system and deleted important files because he wanted to get revenge for being fired unfairly."

not open to accept beliefs, opinions, or lifestyles that are unlike one's own

"He is intolerant of mistakes."

"The intolerant customer complained about everything from the temperature of the soup to the slow service."

completely lacking moral or honorable purpose or character

"His actions were base."

"The betrayal was a base act, completely devoid of any redeeming qualities or honorable intentions."

inclined to deceive or betray others for personal gain or advantage

"He is a treacherous man."

"The seemingly friendly business partner turned out to be treacherous, stealing clients and confidential information."