of dubious morality

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "of dubious morality" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe actions, decisions, or situations that are questionable in terms of ethical standards or principles. Example: "The company's decision to cut corners on safety regulations was seen as one of dubious morality."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Will her character be smug, bitchy, trashy and of dubious morality?

The Guardian

"Draco remains a person of dubious morality in the seven published books, and I have often had cause to remark on how unnerved I have been by the number of girls who fell for this particular fictional character," she wrote.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

It is also a place of dubious moralities, small-time arms dealers and middle class swingers and anti-war protesters.

The Guardian

"How can a priest of the church lay claim to a defense of such dubious morality as 'everybody does it' and 'I paid to use those materials?' " Mr. Mullins appears to have strong support, both among parishioners and the vestry, a body akin to a board of directors.

The New York Times

Like the hero of a dubious morality tale, however, Khodorkovsky broke the rules established by Yeltsin's ex-KGB successor Vladimir Putin: don't meddle in politics.

The Guardian

It's clear that Mr. Tarantino, whose best movies center on people of deeply dubious morality, is more invested in the murderous, funny supporting characters played by Samuel L. Jackson, Leonardo DiCaprio and Mr. Waltz, who was nominated for a best supporting actor Oscar for the role.

The New York Times

In the end, Nick almost idolizes him in spite of his dubious morality.

Huffington Post

Nonetheless, the decision to focus the narrative of Zero Dark Thirty on an independent-minded female CIA agent is one that's further riled some of the film's critics, who have seen it as a means of concealing the dubious morality of American interrogation techniques behind a progressive tale of female empowerment.

The Guardian

Before Perez Hilton and his big, angry man baby face became the celebrity spokesperson nobody asked for, the UK trail-blazed its way through privacy issues, libel laws and the dubious morality of publishing pictures of famous people having nervous breakdowns.

Vice

Re "Mining Medicare: How One Hospital Benefited From Questionable Surgery" (front page, Aug. 12): The Tenet Healthcare fiasco makes clear the dubious morality of profit-oriented health care and the unsustainability of the third-party payer system.

The New York Times

Those paintings were very memorable tonally, the dubious morality of their darkness threatened to engulf us.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "of dubious morality", ensure the context clearly establishes what specific moral standards are being questioned. This provides clarity and strengthens your argument.

Common error

Avoid using "of dubious morality" simply to express disapproval. Instead, provide factual evidence or logical reasoning to support your claim about the moral issue at hand. This makes your argument more persuasive and less subjective.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "of dubious morality" functions as an adjective phrase that modifies a noun, indicating that the noun possesses questionable or uncertain ethical qualities. Ludwig examples confirm this usage, portraying contexts where actions or characters are seen as ethically suspect.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Encyclopedias

15%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Wiki

3%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "of dubious morality" is used to describe something of questionable ethical standing. According to Ludwig AI, its use is grammatically correct. While not overly common, it finds its place in News & Media, Encyclopedias and Science. To enhance clarity, always ensure the context clearly defines the morality being questioned. When using the expression avoid emotional charged arguments and provide factual support of your claims. Common synonyms include "morally questionable", "ethically ambiguous", and "of questionable ethics".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

morally questionable

Replaces 'dubious' with a more direct adjective, implying a similar level of uncertainty about moral correctness.

ethically ambiguous

Focuses on the ethical aspect, suggesting a lack of clarity or certainty in ethical terms.

of questionable ethics

Mirrors the structure of the original phrase but substitutes 'morality' with 'ethics'.

morally suspect

Implies a lack of trust in the moral character or nature of something.

of uncertain virtue

Replaces 'morality' with 'virtue', broadening the scope to include general moral excellence.

ethically unsound

Suggests that something is not based on solid ethical principles or foundations.

of dubious ethical standing

Adds a dimension of reputation or position within a moral or ethical framework.

morally compromised

Highlights a situation where moral principles have been weakened or undermined.

of questionable integrity

Shifts the focus to the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.

ethically challenged

A more euphemistic way of saying that something has moral or ethical problems.

FAQs

How can I use "of dubious morality" in a sentence?

You can use "of dubious morality" to describe actions, decisions, or characters that are questionable from an ethical standpoint. For example, "The politician's financial dealings were considered of dubious morality."

What are some alternatives to "of dubious morality"?

Alternatives include "morally questionable", "ethically ambiguous", or "of questionable ethics" depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it better to say "of dubious morality" or "morally dubious"?

Both "of dubious morality" and "morally dubious" are grammatically correct and convey a similar meaning. The choice often depends on stylistic preference and the flow of the sentence.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "of dubious morality"?

Use "of dubious morality" when you want to express uncertainty or suspicion about the ethical or moral correctness of something, without making a definitive judgment. Make sure your judgment is based on facts not just a biased opinion.