unscrupulous
dishonest because moral limits do not stop the person
Roots
- -ous / -ious: full of or marked by a quality
- scrup / scruple: small sharp pebble, moral hesitation, or prick of conscience
- un-: not, opposite, or removal
Other words with the scrup / scruple root
- scruple: a small moral hesitation or principle
- scrupulous: careful, principled, and unwilling to do what feels morally wrong
Un- removes the scruple. Unscrupulous people act as if the little pebble of conscience is not there.
The unscrupulous tutor promised guaranteed scores and hid the refund policy.
Unscrupulous is easier after scrupulous. Scrupulous pauses at the moral checkpoint; unscrupulous walks past it without a flinch.