Immoral vs Amoral
Immoral and Amoral are two words that sound similar but have different meanings. Immoral is an adjective that describes “something against pre-established morals, ethics, or standard societal practices.” Amoral, on the other hand, is an adjective that describes “something or someone completely lacking morals.”
Here are some definitions and examples to help make the use of these words clearer.
Immoral (adjective)
Something against pre-established morals, ethics, or standard societal practices.
Examples:
Public executions are seen as immoral in modern society despite the fact that they were once a mainstay of commonfolk culture.
Immoral behavior can often be attributed to a lack of proper childrearing and foundational development, as well as a lack of proper education.
Remember that immoral refers to something that is against the standard morals. It is something that is opposite or in contrast to the morals of the context in discussion.
Amoral (adjective)
Something or someone completely lacking morals.
Examples:
While unpleasant to watch, animals hunting other animals is an amoral act necessary to nature.
A historical analysis of World War II propaganda shows how the United States would portray foreign nations as amoral and bloodthirsty.
Remember that when someone or something is amoral, it lacks morals of any kind.
Main Points
- Immoral refers to something that defies the commonly accepted set of morals.
- Amoral refers to something that completely lacks morals of any kind.
- Something that is immoral is in direct opposition to morals, whereas something that is amoral lacks them altogether.