evil

American  

[ee-vuhl] / ˈi vəl /

adjective

1. morally wrong or bad; immoral; wicked.

   evil deeds;

   an evil life.

   Synonyms:

   nefarious , vile , base , corrupt , vicious , depraved , iniquitous , sinful

   Antonyms:

   righteous

2. harmful; detrimental.

   evil laws.

   Synonyms:

   destructive , pernicious

3. characterized or accompanied by misfortune or suffering; unfortunate; disastrous.

   to be fallen on evil days.

4. due to actual or imputed bad conduct or character.

   an evil reputation.

5. marked by anger, irritability, irascibility, etc..

   He is known for his evil disposition.

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noun

1. that which is evil; evil quality, intention, or conduct.

   to choose the lesser of two evils.

   Synonyms:

   baseness , corruption , unrighteousness , iniquity , depravity , wickedness

2. the force in nature that governs and gives rise to wickedness and sin.

3. the wicked or immoral part of someone or something.

   The evil in his nature has destroyed the good.

4. harm; mischief; misfortune.

   to wish one evil.

   Synonyms:

   sorrow , suffering , misery , woe , calamity , disaster

5. anything causing injury or harm.

   Tobacco is considered by some to be an evil.

6. a harmful aspect, effect, or consequence.

   the evils of alcohol.

7. a disease, as king's evil.

adverb

1. in an evil manner; badly; ill.

   It went evil with him.

idioms

1. the evil one,  the devil; Satan.

evil British  

/ ˈiːvəl /

adjective

1. morally wrong or bad; wicked

   an evil ruler

2. causing harm or injury; harmful

   an evil plan

3. marked or accompanied by misfortune; unlucky

   an evil fate

4. (of temper, disposition, etc) characterized by anger or spite

5. not in high esteem; infamous

   an evil reputation

6. offensive or unpleasant

   an evil smell

7. slang  good; excellent

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noun

1. the quality or an instance of being morally wrong; wickedness

   the evils of war

2. (sometimes capital) a force or power that brings about wickedness or harm

   evil is strong in the world

3. archaic  an illness or disease, esp scrofula (the king's evil )

adverb

1. (now usually in combination) in an evil manner; badly

   evil-smelling

Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

• evilly adverb
• evilness noun
• nonevil adjective
• nonevilly adverb
• nonevilness noun
• quasi-evil adjective
• quasi-evilly adverb
• unevil adjective
• unevilly adverb

Etymology

Origin of evil

First recorded before 900; Middle English evel, evil, Old English yfel; cognate with Gothic ubils, Old High German ubil, German übel, Old Frisian, Middle Dutch evel

Example Sentences

Yes, he did so with the help of Hitler and Mussolini, and his proximity to these evil men is a true blot on his record.

From The Wall Street Journal

But even aside from its profitability, many whites in the Antebellum South had come to see slaveholding not as a necessary evil, to be accepted apologetically, but as a positive moral good.

From The Wall Street Journal

Twin brothers who return home to the Mississippi Delta in 1932 for a fresh start, not realising an evil force awaits them.

From BBC

For him, Vecna is devoid of any humanity, but when he is playing Henry, there’s still “elements of humanity,” though his intentions are pure evil.

From Los Angeles Times

To mirror the real world, the Land of Sweets was not spared from an evil nutcracker tyrant.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bad
• corrupt
• destructive
• hateful
• heinous
• hideous
• malevolent
• malicious
• nefarious
• ugly
• unpleasant
• vicious
• vile
• villainous
• wicked