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Showing results for evil.
Definitions

evil

[ee-vuhl] / ˈi vəl /
ADJECTIVE
sinful, immoral
Synonyms
STRONGEST
bad corrupt destructive hateful heinous hideous malevolent malicious nefarious ugly unpleasant vicious vile villainous wicked
STRONG
base foul low offensive poison reprobate wrong
WEAK
angry atrocious baneful beastly calamitous damnable depraved disastrous execrable flagitious harmful iniquitous injurious loathsome maleficent malignant no good obscene pernicious rancorous repugnant repulsive revolting spiteful stinking unpropitious wrathful
Antonyms
STRONGEST
agreeable aiding assisting attractive benevolent decent delightful friendly gentle good helpful honest honorable kind lovely nice pleasant pleasing right upright virtuous wonderful worthy
STRONG
moral
WEAK
auspicious sinless
NOUN
badness, immorality; disaster
Synonyms
STRONGEST
calamity catastrophe corruption crime harm hatred ill misery pain sin suffering wrong
STRONG
affliction baseness blow criminality curse debauchery depravity devilry diabolism heinousness hurt impiety indecency infamy iniquity injury knavery lewdness licentiousness looseness malevolence malignity meanness mischief misfortune obscenity outrage perversity ruin sinfulness sorrow turpitude vice viciousness vileness villainy wickedness woe wrongdoing
WEAK
diablerie
Antonyms
STRONGEST
advantage benefit blessing boon cheer comfort fortune good fortune good luck goodness happiness health joy kindness pleasure profit
STRONG
aid benevolence cleanness decency good help innocence modesty morality nobility propriety purity relief uprightness virtue

Usage

What are other ways to say evil?

Evil applies to that which violates or leads to the violation of moral law: evil practices. Ill now appears mainly in certain fixed expressions, with a milder implication than that in evil: ill will; ill-natured. Wicked implies willful and determined doing of what is very wrong: a wicked plan. Bad is the broadest and simplest term: a bad man; bad habits. 

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Totalitarian abuses of power and the banal ascendancy of evil aren’t stopped with mere pity, she maintained, but with thoughtfulness.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

“Instead of trying to be an aid to people it is treating them in an evil way. It is very disheartening.”

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

Taylor and Pauly want to set the record straight about rattlesnakes, whose rep as evil or villainous serpents is undeserved, they say.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

By that time it was seen as the lesser evil for the industry.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

What if they thought I was a criminal in hiding, or some evil spirit of the bush or water, and didn’t believe my story?

From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo

Vocabulary lists containing evil

Bush's Address on 9/11

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"Frankenstein" and "How Frankenstein Began"

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"The Flying Machine" by Ray Bradbury

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