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Definition of evil
eviler
oreviller
;evilest
orevillest
1a : morally reprehensible : sinful, wicked an evil impulseb : arising from actual or imputed bad character or conduct a person of evil reputation
2a archaic : inferiorb : causing discomfort or repulsion : offensive an evil odorc : disagreeable woke late and in an evil temper
3a : causing harm : pernicious the evil institution of slaveryb : marked by misfortune : unlucky
evil
adverb, archaicFrom the M-W Editors
Examples of evil in a Sentence
She drank an evil potion.
The city has fallen on evil days.
It was an evil omen.
Recent Examples of evil from the Web
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Pamina has the short bob hairdo of flapper-era star Louise Brooks, the birdcatcher is a Buster Keaton-style Papageno and the evil Monostatos reminds of Nosferatu.
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Madigan performed his evil genius tax raising act — with the 15 craven Republicans — in early July, not June.
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The Master's return isn't blockbuster enough for me, even with the good versus evil Superman III undertones in his cheeky exchanges with Missy.
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Well, not evil, really, but more bureaucratic, legalistic b.s.
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The Evil Sprouts are cooked with maple syrup and balsamic vinegar and mixed with those same bacon lardons that topped the mac and cheese.
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Two of the evil Queen Beryl's lackeys, Kunzite and Zoisite, were gay male lovers.
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Not Being EvilFor Big Tech, the benefits of scale come with a price.
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The concept is remarkably simple: an evil overlord forces a human (first Joel Hodgson, then Michael J. Nelson) and two robots to make fun of really bad movies.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'evil'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of evil
Middle English, from Old English yfel; akin to Old High German ubil evil
evil
Definition of evil
1a : the fact of suffering, misfortune, and wrongdoingb : a cosmic evil force
2 : something that brings sorrow, distress, or calamity
Examples of evil in a Sentence
the battle of good versus evil
our free will allows us to choose between good and evil
Recent Examples of evil from the Web
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All had precisely honed insights about the nature of humanity and of evil that remade expectations of what TV could do.
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Wonder Woman PG-13 Diana, Princess of the Amazons, learns of evil outside of her world and becomes a crusading crime fighter, Wonder Woman.
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The film features Joel Edgerton as a man trying to protect his family from evil stalking their home.
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Center officials described Hillary Clinton as evil, President Barack Obama as a secret communist and the Democratic Party as a front for enemies of the United States.
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For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.
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Hildebrand struck up an instant rapport and friendship with Eva Mozes Kor, an inspirational Holocaust survivor who shares her memories of the horrors of Auschwitz in a bid to educate today’s generation about the evil perpetrated by the Nazi regime.
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At a time of great peril and promise, war and strife, we are blessed to have such a powerful reminder of man’s potential for great evil, but also our capacity to rise up from tragedy and remake our world.
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MacLachlan is doused in spray tan and wearing snakeskin; Lynch's manifestation of evil appears to be a guy wearing leather with a half-ponytail.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'evil'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of evil
before 12th century
EVIL Defined for English Language Learners
evil
playDefinition of evil for English Language Learners
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: morally bad
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: causing harm or injury to someone
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: marked by bad luck or bad events
evil
Definition of evil for English Language Learners
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: the force of things that are morally bad
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: something that is harmful or bad
EVIL Defined for Kids
Headscratcher for evil
Evil and “vile” are spelled using the same letters and also have similar meanings. They can both be used to describe something or someone wicked.
Definition of evil for Students
1 : something that brings sorrow, trouble, or destruction the evils of poverty
2 : the fact of suffering or wrongdoing We must rid the world of evil.
3 : bad behavior or moral state : wickedness … Mr. Lapham had discovered the evil that had gone on in his absence … — Esther Forbes, Johnny Tremain
Learn More about evil
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See words that rhyme with evil Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for evil Spanish Central: Translation of evil Nglish: Translation of evil for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of evil for Arabic speakers
Seen and Heard
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