immoral and amoral - the difference

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IMMORAL / AMORAL

Immoral means morally wrong. Amoral means not related to morality.

Immoral

The adjective immoral means 'not adhering to moral principles' (i.e., deliberately breaking the rules of right and wrong).

Example:

Stop looking at Peter's answers. Your conduct is immoral.

Amoral

The adjective amoral is very technical and quite rare. It means 'not related to morality'. It pertains to the noun amorality. Amorality is a state in which the concept of right and wrong is invalid.

Examples:

Deciding which scent you like best is an amoral decision.

The scientists try not to consider whether their research is right or wrong. They are encouraged to adopt a totally amoral attitude.

Associated lessons:

What are adjectives?
What are nouns?
List of easily confused words