vile

[vahyl]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR vile ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, vil·er, vil·est.

wretchedly bad: a vile humor.

highly offensive, unpleasant, or objectionable: vile slander.

repulsive or disgusting, as to the senses or feelings: a vile odor.

morally debased, depraved, or despicable: vile deeds.

foul; filthy: vile language.

poor; wretched: vile workmanship.

of mean or low condition: a vile beggar.

menial; lowly: vile tasks.

degraded; ignominious: vile servitude.

of little value or account; paltry: a vile recompense.

Origin of vile

1250–1300; Middle English vil < Old French < Latin vīlis of little worth, base, cheap

Related formsvile·ly, adverbvile·ness, noun

Can be confusedvial vile viol

Synonyms for vile

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR vile ON THESAURUS.COM

1. See mean². 3. repellent. 4. vicious, evil, iniquitous. 5. vulgar, obscene. 9, 10. contemptible. 10. trivial, trifling.

Antonyms for vile

1. good. 4. elevated.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for vileness

drunkenness, impropriety, indecency, profanity, vulgarity, smut, pornography, horror, depravity, harm, pain, catastrophe, calamity, ill, wrong, corruption, suffering, misery, hatred, crime

Examples from the Web for vileness

Historical Examples of vileness

Is it an impression of the vileness and worthlessness of our species?
The International Monthly, Volume 3, No. 2, May, 1851
Various
Did you think you could bribe me with your gifts to tolerate your vileness?
Poisoned Air
Sterner St. Paul Meek
It needed this to show me the vileness of the thing I have done.
The Sea-Hawk
Raphael Sabatini
Having been a spy himself,' he was a good judge of the vileness of the office.
Mistress Wilding
Rafael Sabatini
Had you stabbed him in the back with a knife, you would have shown the courage of your vileness.
Scaramouche
Rafael Sabatini

British Dictionary definitions for vileness

vile

adjective

abominably wicked; shameful or evilthe vile development of slavery appalled them

morally despicable; ignoblevile accusations

disgusting to the senses or emotions; foula vile smell; vile epithets

tending to humiliate or degradeonly slaves would perform such vile tasks

unpleasant or badvile weather

paltrya vile reward

Derived Formsvilely, adverbvileness, noun

Word Origin for vile

C13: from Old French vil, from Latin vīlis cheap

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for vileness

vile

adj.

early 13c. (implied in vilety), from Anglo-French and Old French vile, from Latin vilis "cheap, worthless, base, common," of unknown origin. Related: Vilely.