vice

noun

ˈvīs How to pronounce vice (audio)
Definition of vicenext
1
as in corruption
immoral conduct or practices harmful or offensive to society that section of the city is legendary for crime and vice

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in weakness
a defect in character curiosity in children is not a vice, but something to be encouraged

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in prostitution
the practice of engaging in sexual activities for money a seedy section of the city where vice is rampant and very much out in the open

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun vice contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of vice are crime, offense, scandal, and sin. While all these words mean "a transgression of law," vice applies to a habit or practice that degrades or corrupts.

regarded gambling as a vice

When would crime be a good substitute for vice?

The meanings of crime and vice largely overlap; however, crime implies a serious offense punishable by the law of the state.

the crime of murder

When is it sensible to use offense instead of vice?

While in some cases nearly identical to vice, offense applies to the infraction of any law, rule, or code.

at that school no offense went unpunished

When could scandal be used to replace vice?

The words scandal and vice can be used in similar contexts, but scandal applies to an offense that outrages the public conscience.

a career ruined by a sex scandal

In what contexts can sin take the place of vice?

In some situations, the words sin and vice are roughly equivalent. However, sin implies an offense against moral or religious law.

the sin of blasphemy

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for vice
  1. corruption
  2. weakness
  3. prostitution
  4. sin
  5. fault
  6. evil
  7. shortcoming
  8. immorality
Noun
  • But the judge also noted Krneta’s dual role in facilitating the corruption of Tobolski, both paying bribes and collecting extortion payments from other contractors on the then-mayor’s behalf.
    — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The election demanded by Reform UK's leader, who faces corruption accusations, has turned into a punch line after major parties dismissed it as a stunt and declined to field candidates.
    — Steve Hendrix, Washington Post, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of corruption
Noun
  • If a bear market arrives shortly after retirement, a cash reserve can allow a family to meet expenses without immediately selling long-term investments into weakness.
    — Steve Booren, Denver Post, 16 Aug. 2026
  • To be sure, efforts to prop up the yen were seen as short-term measures to address the symptoms rather than the root causes of the currency’s weakness.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of weakness
Noun
  • The sociologist Brian Donovan, in a book on the subject, describes how the hysteria over white slavery served at once as a progressive campaign against prostitution and as a vindication of nativist fear.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The four were charged with 13 counts each of promoting prostitution of an individual and receiving profits from prostitution.
    — WCCO Staff, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of prostitution
Noun
  • Fans of improv, musicals and audience participation will thoroughly enjoy this performance and should be prepared to repent for sins like eating a hamburger, owning too many snakes or yearning for a younger man.
    — Talia McWright, Twin Cities, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Where death’s grey skies loom large, the 2000s are portrayed in silvery black and white while ancient action takes place in vibrant colors, with Dante’s tale of sin and justice rolled into one story.
    — A.D. Amorosi, SPIN, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of sin
Noun
  • Deadly fires, often linked to electrical faults or gas cylinder explosions, are common in India where investigators have frequently pointed to safety lapses and inadequate enforcement of fire regulations as contributing to recurring loss of life.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • If Russia behaved badly, that was the fault of its primitive and cruel Asian side, a notion that conveniently created the fiction that Western countries are not capable of similar cruelty.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of fault
Noun
  • While Season 1 focused on the evil lurking underneath suburban comfort, Season 2 will have a different aesthetic.
    — Joe Otterson, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
  • For instance, as a Christian, I am called to vote for doing justice, making peace, loving mercy, being humble, doing good and resisting evil and, most of all, loving my neighbor, whoever that is.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of evil
Noun
  • Allar has first-round physical traits, but his two biggest shortcomings are decision making and accuracy.
    — Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
  • This level is often what challenges character development, revealing shortcomings that were not present in less challenging contexts.
    — Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of shortcoming
Noun
  • Since the middle of the twentieth century, societies around the globe have undergone a collective revolution in standards and attitudes towards obscenity and immorality.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Independents said the worst thing about Republicans was their loyalty to Trump (10%), perceptions of corruption and self-enrichment (8%), dishonesty, hypocrisy or immorality (7%), a lack of concern for ordinary people or cruelty (6%), and ineffective and weak or unqualified leadership (5%).
    — Emily Guskin, ABC News, 27 May 2026
Definition of immorality
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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vicars
vice
vice admiral
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Cite this Entry

“Vice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vice. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on vice

Nglish: Translation of vice for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vice

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