deadly sin
noun
: one of seven sins of pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth held to be fatal to spiritual progress
Examples of deadly sin in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Angels oversee the shepherds on their journey to protect them from the devil’s influence and the seven deadly sins.
—
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Nov. 2023
Amongst the revelers were a group of seven deadly sins and a couple of Queen of Hearts.
—Vogue, 28 Oct. 2023
Previous tours have included a riff on the seven deadly sins.
—Lawrence Specker | Lspecker@al.com, al, 14 Aug. 2023
In the 1995 crime thriller, Spacey plays a murderer inspired by the seven deadly sins.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 3 July 2023
As the list of victims grows, the detectives discover a sinister pattern: each murder seems to be inspired by the seven deadly sins.
—Claudia Guthrie, ELLE, 30 June 2023
Some of the restaurant’s pizzas are named after the seven deadly sins.
—Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 1 June 2023
Envy is a deadly sin.
—Joshua Bennett, The New Yorker, 12 Sep. 2022
Sloths have been maligned throughout history, with their name becoming synonymous with laziness (and even labeled a deadly sin).
—Darren Incorvaia, Discover Magazine, 12 Apr. 2022
See More
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Nov. 2023
Amongst the revelers were a group of seven deadly sins and a couple of Queen of Hearts.
—Vogue, 28 Oct. 2023
Previous tours have included a riff on the seven deadly sins.
—Lawrence Specker | Lspecker@al.com, al, 14 Aug. 2023
In the 1995 crime thriller, Spacey plays a murderer inspired by the seven deadly sins.
—K.j. Yossman, Variety, 3 July 2023
As the list of victims grows, the detectives discover a sinister pattern: each murder seems to be inspired by the seven deadly sins.
—Claudia Guthrie, ELLE, 30 June 2023
Some of the restaurant’s pizzas are named after the seven deadly sins.
—Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 1 June 2023
Envy is a deadly sin.
—Joshua Bennett, The New Yorker, 12 Sep. 2022
Sloths have been maligned throughout history, with their name becoming synonymous with laziness (and even labeled a deadly sin).
—Darren Incorvaia, Discover Magazine, 12 Apr. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deadly sin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
13th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of deadly sin was
in the 13th century
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Cite this Entry
“Deadly sin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deadly%20sin. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
deadly sin
noun
: one of seven sins of pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth considered in Christianity to be very serious and believed to cause other sins
More from Merriam-Webster on deadly sin
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about deadly sin
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