sinful

1 of 2

adjective

sin·​ful ˈsin-fəl How to pronounce sinful (audio)
Synonyms of sinfulnext
1
: tainted with, marked by, or full of sin : wicked
2
: such as to make one feel guilty
a sinful chocolate cake
sinfully adverb
sinfulness noun

sinfulness

2 of 2

noun

sin·​ful·​ness
-lnə̇s
plural -es
: the quality or state of being sinful
man of moderate intelligence and normal sinfulnessR. H. Rovere

Examples of sinful in a Sentence

Adjective It is sinful to steal. chastised by his minister for his sinful behavior
Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
Bowing down and worshiping an idol is sinful. Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 12 May 2026 Efficiency is religion, and turnovers are almost sinful. Joel Lorenzi, New York Times, 6 May 2026 Christian moralists thundered against the sinful pleasures of watching naked female flesh at the Spectacles. Literary Hub, 15 Apr. 2026 His father, who believes Sammie's music to be sinful, orders him to drop the guitar, but Sammie can't do it. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sinful

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sinfulnesse, from sinful + -nesse -ness

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sinful was before the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sinful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sinful. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.

Kids Definition

sinful

adjective
sin·​ful ˈsin-fəl How to pronounce sinful (audio)
: marked by or full of sin : wicked
sinfully adverb
sinfulness noun

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