wicked

1 of 2

adjective

wick·​ed ˈwi-kəd How to pronounce wicked (audio)
1
: morally very bad : evil
2
a
: fierce, vicious
a wicked dog
b
: disposed to or marked by mischief : roguish
does wicked impersonations
3
a
: disgustingly unpleasant : vile
a wicked odor
b
: causing or likely to cause harm, distress, or trouble
a wicked storm
4
: going beyond reasonable or predictable limits : of exceptional quality or degree
throws a wicked fastball
wickedly adverb

wicked

2 of 2

adverb

: very, extremely
wicked fast

Examples of wicked in a Sentence

Adjective a wicked act of cruelty She played the part of the wicked stepmother in the play. She wore a wicked grin after her victory. She's known for having a wicked sense of humor. She had a wicked case of food poisoning. A wicked odor was coming from the closet. He throws a wicked fastball. Adverb His car goes wicked fast. All his friends thought he was wicked cool. The tickets were wicked expensive. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Farnaby and King’s screenplay strays outside Dahl’s original story to imagine what came before, while remaining more or less true to the author’s thematic playground of pure-hearted children triumphing over wicked adults. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Dec. 2023 In Loma Linda the other day, 85-year-old Loida Medina played a couple of hours of take-no-prisoners pickleball (she’s got a wicked backhand), while Glenn and Jodee Nichols, 94 and 78, went to the gym for a workout. Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2023 She’s got a wicked sense of humor, also, very morbid. Jacklyn Krol, Peoplemag, 24 Nov. 2023 Honey locusts can have wicked thorns — up to eight inches long — and gummy seed pods that make a mess. Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 24 Nov. 2023 Beate was a complex creature, full of wicked humor and perverse decrees and the occasional nutso theory presented as unqualified fact. Lucy Sante, The New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2023 The plot, while nicely sketched, is secondary in this play to the sheer wicked pleasures of the flesh. Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2023 When Edith and fellow residents begin to receive wicked letters full of unintentionally hilarious profanities, fouth-mouthed Rose is charged with the crime. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 3 Nov. 2023 Not that Polanski has been entirely allergic to laughs: Many of his films, including some of his best, have showcased a dark and surreal brand of humor — think, for example, of all the wicked stuff that happens to Nicholson’s Jake Gittes in Chinatown. Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wicked.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, alteration of wicke wicked, perhaps from Old English wicca

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

1980, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of wicked was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near wicked

Cite this Entry

“Wicked.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wicked. Accessed 11 Dec. 2023.

Kids Definition

wicked

adjective
wick·​ed
ˈwik-əd
1
: morally bad : evil
2
: given to mischief : roguish
a wicked glance
3
a
: very unpleasant
a wicked odor
b
: causing or likely to cause harm or trouble
a wicked storm
wickedly adverb
wickedness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on wicked

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