social evil
Americannoun
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anything detrimental to a society or its citizens, as alcoholism, organized crime, etc.
Etymology
Origin of social evil
First recorded in 1855–60
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.
"Dowry is a social evil and we are committed to ending it. I have directed all police stations to give proper help to any woman who approaches them," Mr Mishra told me.
From BBC • Jul. 3, 2023
“In the burning of Judas, social evil becomes laughable.”
From Seattle Times • Apr. 8, 2023
In the new book, Cosby weaves another social evil, homophobia, into his speeding narrative.
From Washington Post • Jul. 2, 2021
There are clip-clop ole West numbers, solemn hymns of uplift and lamentation and sardonic Brechtian ditties of social evil.
From New York Times • Jun. 12, 2017
Moreover, it is obvious that all laws which help control the social evil will work indirectly against the social diseases.
From Sex-education A series of lectures concerning knowledge of sex in its relation to human life by Bigelow, Maurice Alpheus
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.
