wicked

[wik-id]

adjective

wickeder, wickedest 

1. evil or morally bad in principle or practice; sinful; iniquitous.

   wicked people;

   wicked habits.

   Synonyms: villainous, infamous, heinous, dissolute, depraved, corrupt, profligate, immoral, blasphemous, profane, impious, godless, ungodly, unrighteous
   Antonyms: virtuous, good

2. mischievous or playfully malicious.

   These wicked kittens upset everything.

3. distressingly severe, as a storm, wound, or cold.

   a wicked winter.

4. passing reasonable bounds; intolerably bad.

   wicked prices;

   a wicked exam.

5. having a bad disposition; ill-natured; mean.

   a wicked horse.

6. spiteful; malevolent; vicious.

   a wicked tongue.

7. extremely troublesome or dangerous.

   wicked roads.

8. unpleasant; foul.

   a wicked odor.

9. Slang.,  wonderful; great; masterful; deeply satisfying.

   He blows a wicked trumpet.

adverb

1. Slang.,  very; really; totally.

   That shirt is wicked cool.

wicked

/ ˈwɪkɪd /

adjective

1. 1. morally bad in principle or practice

   2. ( as collective noun; preceded by the )

      the wicked

2. mischievous or roguish, esp in a playful way

   a wicked grin

3. causing injury or harm

4. troublesome, unpleasant, or offensive

5. slang,  very good

Other Word Forms

• wickedly adverb
• quasi-wicked adjective
• quasi-wickedly adverb
• unwicked adjective
• unwickedly adverb
• wickedness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of wicked¹

First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English wikked, equivalent to wikke “bad” (representing adjective use of Old English wicca “wizard”; witch ) + -ed -ed ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of wicked¹

C13: from dialect wick, from Old English wicca sorcerer, wicce _witch ¹

Example Sentences

You wouldn’t call him melancholy, exactly, but he feels the weight of the job, of his difficult superiors, of the wicked world.

From Los Angeles Times

Gonzales-Day, through applying deft erasures, vivifies the wild and wicked record.

From Los Angeles Times

For 18 years, Clayton Kershaw pitched through the gamut of emotions as both a hero and a villain, moments of euphoria addled with spells of despair, picturesque summers disappearing into the wicked wilds of October.

From Los Angeles Times

Viewed from Orange County, L.A. is the flagship of the fleet of the absurd, the dreamland of pitchmen and grifters, the progenitor of wicked Hollywood glitz and drive-by shootings.

From Los Angeles Times

The Telegraph reported lyrics from the canticle written by a chorister included "Lord, how long shall the ungodly triumph?" and "how long shall all wicked doers speak so disdainfully?"

From BBC

Related Words

• devilish 
• evil 
• impish 
• mischievous 
• nasty 
• naughty 
• vicious 
• villainous 
• wayward 

When To Use

What are other ways to say wicked?

Someone or something wicked is morally bad in principle or practice. But calling someone or something wicked isn’t quite the same as calling them bad, evil, or ill. Find out why on Thesaurus.com.