evil
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.
The evil was not merely that searches occurred but that the government treated entire populations as searchable first and innocent later.
From Slate • May 20, 2026
I guess the underlying story I want to tell is that there is no reason for evil intention behind anything, but innocent acts can build up to something tragic.
From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026
Her performance came with whiplash-inducing choreography, based on the ancient Bulgarian tradition of Kukeri, in which masked performers chase away evil spirits.
From BBC • May 17, 2026
She’s less predictable; warm and funny in some films, and completely calculated evil in others.
From Salon • May 10, 2026
They were bulging with muscles and had pictures of evil eyeballs drawn right onto his skin.
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
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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