nefarious
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of nefarious
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin nefārius “wicked, vile,” equivalent to nefās “offense against divine or moral law” (from ne-, negative prefix + fās “law, right”) + -ius -ious
Explanation
Describe a person's actions as nefarious if they are evil or wicked. Batman and Superman are always fighting evildoers and stopping their nefarious plots. Nefarious comes from the Latin nefas "crime, impiety." If something is nefarious, it is criminal, evil, malicious and wicked. Thinking of superheroes can help you remember the meaning of the word, but it is often used in much less exciting circumstances. News reporters investigate corrupt politicians in order to uncover the nefarious activities. And, if you don't pay for your downloaded music, you have gotten it by nefarious means.
Vocabulary lists containing nefarious
Grade 9, List 4
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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.
He denied witnessing any nefarious conduct and said he had very limited interactions with Epstein.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
Paul Alexander Nolan’s Max, the owner of a boardwalk video store who crashes into the lives of the Emerson family, puts on a Clark Kent facade to conceal his nefarious alter ego.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
Hence the need to find some nefarious syndicate behind it all.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
Related: ‘Could a nefarious caregiver steal her money?’
From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 2026
They could be hiding a monster, but my gut tells me that what he’s hiding isn’t so nefarious.
From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed
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.
