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evil
[ ee-vuhl ]
adjective
evil deeds;
an evil life.
Synonyms: nefarious, vile, base, corrupt, vicious, depraved, iniquitous, sinful
Antonyms: righteous
evil laws.
Synonyms: destructive, pernicious
- characterized or accompanied by misfortune or suffering; unfortunate; disastrous:
to be fallen on evil days.
- due to actual or imputed bad conduct or character:
an evil reputation.
- marked by anger, irritability, irascibility, etc.:
He is known for his evil disposition.
noun
- that which is evil; evil quality, intention, or conduct:
to choose the lesser of two evils.
Synonyms: baseness, unrighteousness, corruption, iniquity, depravity, wickedness
- the force in nature that governs and gives rise to wickedness and sin.
- the wicked or immoral part of someone or something:
The evil in his nature has destroyed the good.
- harm; mischief; misfortune:
to wish one evil.
Synonyms: sorrow, suffering, misery, woe, calamity, disaster
- anything causing injury or harm:
Tobacco is considered by some to be an evil.
- a harmful aspect, effect, or consequence:
the evils of alcohol.
- a disease, as king's evil.
adverb
- in an evil manner; badly; ill:
It went evil with him.
evil
/ ˈiːvəl /
adjective
- morally wrong or bad; wicked
an evil ruler
- causing harm or injury; harmful
an evil plan
- marked or accompanied by misfortune; unlucky
an evil fate
- (of temper, disposition, etc) characterized by anger or spite
- not in high esteem; infamous
an evil reputation
- offensive or unpleasant
an evil smell
- slang.good; excellent
noun
- the quality or an instance of being morally wrong; wickedness
the evils of war
- sometimes capital a force or power that brings about wickedness or harm
evil is strong in the world
- archaic.an illness or disease, esp scrofula (the king's evil )
adverb
- now usually in combination in an evil manner; badly
evil-smelling
Derived Forms
- ˈevilly, adverb
- ˈevilness, noun
Other Words From
- evil·ly adverb
- evil·ness noun
- non·evil adjective
- non·evil·ly adverb
- non·evil·ness noun
- quasi-evil adjective
- quasi-evil·ly adverb
- un·evil adjective
- un·evil·ly adverb
Word History and Origins
Origin of evil1
Word History and Origins
Origin of evil1
Idioms and Phrases
- the evil one, the devil; Satan.
Example Sentences
Zegler has been an outspoken advocate for Palestinians, while Gal Gadot, who plays the evil queen, has voiced support for Israel, where she was born and served the mandatory two years in the Israeli army.
To be clear, while the girls are seen as capable of cruelty and violence, we are not meant to receive them as evil or go, "Well, obviously they’d start eating each other. Look at them."
The mandatory two-stop has been arrived at as a necessary evil - introducing an element of artificiality to ameliorate a specific problem.
Commenting on her daily attendance at the trial at Dublin's Central Criminal Court, Mrs McAleer said "nothing or no one could have prepared me for the evil and harrowing details".
An "evil" sex cult leader who brainwashed and abused children could be released following a parole board hearing.
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When To Use
What are other ways to say evil?
A person or thing that is evil is morally wrong. How does evil differ from bad, wicked, and ill? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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