nefarious

adjective

ne·​far·​i·​ous ni-ˈfer-ē-əs 

: flagrantly wicked or corrupt : evil

a nefarious scheme

The more nefarious of these supervillains hide in plain sight.

—Amelia Tait

The town itself is a classic of the genre, full of scheming locals, buried secrets and nefarious elites trying to make a quick buck.

—David Faris

nefariously adverb

Did you know?

If you need a fancy word to describe someone who’s up to no good, nefarious has got you (and them) covered. It’s also handy for characterizing the “no good” such a dastardly devil gets up to, as in “a nefarious business/plot/deed.” Nefarious is most often used for someone or something that is flagrantly wicked or corrupt—it’s more applicable to the mustache-twirling supervillain than the morally gray antihero. In other words, there’s no question that a nefarious scheme, or schemer, is not right. Etymologically, this makes perfect sense: nefarious can be traced back to the Latin noun nefas, meaning “crime,” which in turn combines ne- (“not”) and fas, meaning “right” or “divine law.” It is one of very few English words with this root, accompanied only by the likes of nefariousness and the thoroughly obscure nefast (“wicked”).

Synonyms of nefarious

• evil
• unlawful
• immoral
• sinful
• vicious
• vile
• dark
• bad
• wicked
• villainous

Choose the Right Synonym for nefarious

vicious, villainous, iniquitous, nefarious, corrupt, degenerate mean highly reprehensible or offensive in character, nature, or conduct.

vicious may directly oppose virtuous in implying moral depravity, or may connote malignancy, cruelty, or destructive violence.

a vicious gangster

villainous applies to any evil, depraved, or vile conduct or characteristic.

a villainous assault

iniquitous implies absence of all signs of justice or fairness.

an iniquitous system of taxation

nefarious suggests flagrant breaching of time-honored laws and traditions of conduct.

the nefarious rackets of organized crime

corrupt stresses a loss of moral integrity or probity causing betrayal of principle or sworn obligations.

city hall was rife with corrupt politicians

degenerate suggests having sunk to an especially vicious or enervated condition.

a degenerate regime propped up by foreign powers

Examples of nefarious in a Sentence

Moreover, those starry-eyed states inclined to perceive international relations in moral terms frequently underestimate the nefarious machinations of their competitors on the world political stage. —Richard Wolin, New Republic, 4 June 2001

… I always give the same response: Just because Frank posed for pictures with every leading capo, underboss and cement contractor of the day doesn't mean that he joined them in their nefarious underworld activities. Oh, occasionally he rode along on a hit or two, but that was just one of those social obligations … —Lewis Grossberger, Time, 21 Dec. 1998

Three-tenths of a mile uphill from our mailbox on the road, that bend is so nefarious that neophytes often skidded into a snowbank or wound up fender-deep in mud there. —Maxine Kumin, In Deep, 1987

a nefarious scheme to cheat people out of their money

the chaste heroines and nefarious villains of old-time melodramas

Recent Examples on the Web

There is a painful irony in this reversal of national fortunes, best illustrated by the current running joke in Brazil that the White House has opened a US embassy on American soil, a nod to the US government’s nefarious history of abetting authoritarianism in Brazil. —Michaëla De Lacaze Mohrmann, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026

After German terrorists — led by the nefarious Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) — take control of the building where Holly's company's Christmas party is being held, holding her and her co-workers hostage, McClane must work to take down the terrorists from the inside to save his family. —Ilana Gordon, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Dec. 2025

This hypothetical, far from alleviating concerns about leaks, illustrates the potential for infinitely more nefarious scenarios, involving human viruses. —Andrew Noymer, Oc Register, 24 Dec. 2025

However, beneath the surface, more nefarious deeds are at play. —Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 20 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin nefarius, from nefas crime, from ne- not + fas right, divine law; perhaps akin to Greek themis law, tithenai to place — more at do

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for nefarious

• aquarius
• cinereous
• gregarious
• hilarious
• malarious
• precarious
• vicarious
• carious
• scarious
• various
• multifarious

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Kids Definition

nefarious

adjective

ne·​far·​i·​ous ni-ˈfar-ē-əs 

-ˈfer-

: very wicked : evil

nefariously adverb

nefariousness noun