wicked

[ wik-id ]

adjective

, wick·ed·er, wick·ed·est.

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

Derived Forms

• ˈwickedly, adverb
• ˈwickedness, noun

Other Words From

• wick·ed·ly adverb
• qua·si-wick·ed adjective
• qua·si-wick·ed·ly adverb
• un·wick·ed adjective
• un·wick·ed·ly adverb

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

There are wicked reminders, for instance, of her acid humor.

From Washington Post

Revisiting historical debates about the Fairness Doctrine can help us think through these wicked problems.

From Washington Post

The player then traverses a gorgeously-rendered landscape and solves a series of wicked little puzzles in a heart-wrenching reunification quest.

From Time

In fact, if you go back even further, a pollster named Elmo Roper found that 47 percent of Americans found sexual relations for young people before marriage to be “wicked” back in 1939.

From Ozy

Both tell the stories of doomed criminals trying to make their way in a wicked world.

From Time

He once experimented with dressing as “Hilda the Wicked Witch” as a way to expand his business to Halloween.

From The Daily Beast

“Wicked William,” as he was known, made short work of her fortune.

From The Daily Beast

MacDonald saw a lot that day, including gold candlesticks, the Kingdom of Heaven, and lots of violent judgment for the wicked.

From The Daily Beast

The film lets her unspoiled beauty speak the so-called “wicked” truth: for Ellen, abortion was the best choice.

From The Daily Beast

The original trailer even opens with her confession and defense of the abortion: “Sometimes the truth is wicked.”

From The Daily Beast

It is then we make him our friend, which sets us above the envy and contempt of wicked men.

From Project Gutenberg

The bear watched him narrowly with its wicked little eyes, though it did not see fit to cease its paw-licking.

From Project Gutenberg

O wicked presumption, whence camest thou to cover the earth with thy malice, and deceitfulness?

From Project Gutenberg

No sooner was the ceremony over than the wicked count ordered her to present herself at the castle.

From Project Gutenberg

I ushered you into this wicked world, young man, and a nice use you seem to have made of your time.

From Project Gutenberg

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.