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• vice
  vice

  noun

  an immoral or evil habit or practice.
• vice-
  vice-

  a combining form meaning “deputy,” used in the formation of compound words, usually titles of officials who serve in the absence of the official denoted by the base word.
• Vice
  Vice

  noun

  (in English morality plays) a character personifying a particular vice or vice in general

vice

¹ American  

[vahys] / vaɪs /

noun

1. an immoral or evil habit or practice.

   These biblical verses cover the vices of boastfulness and pride, miserliness, and hypocrisy.

   Synonyms:

   depravity, wrong, wrongdoing, fault

   Antonyms:

   virtue

2. immoral conduct; depraved or degrading behavior.

   In the Christian religion there are numerous instances of sudden conversions from a life of vice to one of virtue.

   Synonyms:

   corruption, corruptness, badness, wickedness, iniquity, sin, immorality

   Antonyms:

   morality, virtue

3. sexual immorality, especially prostitution.

   Synonyms:

   licentiousness, degeneracy, wantonness

4. a particular form of depravity.

5. a fault, defect, or shortcoming.

   a minor vice in his literary style.

   Synonyms:

   weakness, foible, flaw, imperfection, blemish, stain

6. (of a horse’s behavior) a bad habit.

   Allowing your horse turnout in a paddock may prevent vices such as weaving or wood chewing normally observed in a stall.

7. Sometimes Vice vice squad.

   Detective Crockett was reassigned from the Robbery Division to Vice last year.

8. Vice, a character in the English morality plays, a personification of general vice or of a particular vice, serving as the buffoon.

9. Archaic. a physical defect, flaw, or infirmity.

   In most cases, attempts to relieve the symptoms will be of little avail without at the same time relieving or removing the constitutional vice which has induced this condition.

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adjective

1. of or relating to the vice squad, or to the threats to public order it is tasked to police, such as gambling, pornography, prostitution, and narcotics: the vice division of the police department.

   a vice cop;

   the vice division of the police department.

vice ² American  

[vahys] / vaɪs /

noun

viced, vicing

1. vise.

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vice ³ American  

[vahy-see, -suh, vahys] / ˈvaɪ si, -sə, vaɪs /

preposition

1. instead of; in the place of.

   The committee was reorganized, with Mr. Silver, vice Mr. Cooper, as the head.

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vice- ⁴ American  

1. a combining form meaning “deputy,” used in the formation of compound words, usually titles of officials who serve in the absence of the official denoted by the base word.

   viceroy; vice-chancellor.

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vice ¹ British  

/ vaɪs /

noun

1. an immoral, wicked, or evil habit, action, or trait

2. habitual or frequent indulgence in pernicious, immoral, or degrading practices

3. a specific form of pernicious conduct, esp prostitution or sexual perversion

4. a failing or imperfection in character, conduct, etc

   smoking is his only vice

5. obsolete pathol any physical defect or imperfection

6. a bad trick or disposition, as of horses, dogs, etc

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vice ² British  

/ vaɪs /

adjective

1. 1. (prenominal) serving in the place of or as a deputy for

   2. ( in combination )

      viceroy

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noun

1. informal a person who serves as a deputy to another

vice ³ British  

/ vaɪs /

noun

1. an appliance for holding an object while work is done upon it, usually having a pair of jaws

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verb

1. (tr) to grip (something) with or as if with a vice

Vice ⁴ British  

/ vaɪs /

noun

1. (in English morality plays) a character personifying a particular vice or vice in general

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vice ⁵ British  

/ ˈvaɪsɪ /

preposition

1. instead of; as a substitute for

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Related Words

See fault.

Other Word Forms

• viceless
  adjective
• vicelike
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of vice¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin vitium “a fault, defect, vice”

Origin of vice³

First recorded in 1760–70; from Latin: literally, “instead of,” ablative of vicis (genitive; not attested in nominative) “recurring action, turn, interchange, alternation”

Origin of vice-⁴

Middle English ≪ Latin vice vice ³

Explanation

A vice is a moral failing or a bad habit. Lying and cheating are both forms of vice. In the United States, municipal police departments often have a bureau dedicated to vice, manned by vice cops, whose job it is to fight crime related to alcohol, drugs, and gambling. But anything can be a vice, as long as there's someone out there who views it as bad behavior or a moral weakness. You might say, casually, "Chocolate ice cream is my vice. I eat it every day."

Example Sentences

Universal’s “Miami Vice ’85” movie reboot won’t come out until 2028, but fans of the neon-hued South Florida crime genre looking to scratch that itch can check out “M.I.A.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026

Vice President JD Vance was ushered away in the opposite direction, and others on the stage were directed into the wings quickly.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

Grassley, 92, is fourth in the line of succession after Trump, Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson - all of whom were in attendance at the correspondents' dinner.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

Crowded into the ballroom were Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, several cabinet members and top lawmakers, and hundreds of guests in black tie.

From Barron's • Apr. 26, 2026

Vice Principal Marten patrols the parking lot between classes, making sure only students with passes escape.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson