ethical action
Doing the right
Ethical action is conduct guided by moral principles—doing what's right rather than merely what's expedient or legal.
The phrase appears in philosophy, business, and everyday discourse: The company claims to prioritize ethical action over profit.
It implies deliberate choice, weighing consequences and duties before acting.
What counts as ethical action varies across cultures and moral frameworks, but the term always suggests behavior aligned with considered values rather than impulse or self-interest.
- moralConcerning right conduct
- moral compassInner ethical guidance system
- righteousMorally good, justified
- do the right thingBehave with moral integrity
- virtueMoral goodness or merit
conscience · integrity · duty · principle · golden rule · goodness · just · fair · moral high ground · compassion · altruism · greater good · honesty · noble · stand up for · upright · decent · walk the talk
ethical actionwrongdoing
Unethical or illegal action
sin · transgression · misdeed · vice · crime
ethical actionwillful ignorance
Purposely remaining uninformed
dereliction of duty · complicity · turning a blind eye · reckless disregard
ethical, action, ethic, ethics, ethically, unethical, act, acts, acting