EVIL Synonyms: 396 Similar and Opposite Words

evil 1 of 2

noun

Definition of evil

as in bad

that which is morally unacceptable our free will allows us to choose between good and evil

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evil

2 of 2

adjective

ˈē-vəl

as in harmful

causing or capable of causing harm drank an evil potion

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as in immoral

not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable their evil deeds rank among the worst in history

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as in ugly

causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment she refused to eat olives or anything which had their evil flavor

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of evil

Noun

But while critics deemed the character overly simplistic and an ultimately unbelievable representation of evil (Cathy is an allegory for the serpent in the garden of Eden, after all), Pugh and Kazan, however, took a very different approach. — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 30 Sep. 2026 Basically, what Thiel’s doing in his Antichrist speeches is portraying our current predicament as an existential battle between good and evil. — Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026

Adjective

Denigrating the relationship—deciding, for instance, that the rejecter was evil, dishonest, unworthy of your respect or time— devalues your own history, in effect consigning the whole relationship to the trash bin. — George Loewenstein, Vogue, 28 Sep. 2026 The stories say the ghosts are believed to be protective and not evil. — Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for evil

Recent Examples of Synonyms for evil

Noun

In addition to public goods, AI will also create public bads.

— James Broughel, Forbes.com, 8 June 2026
Naturally, the meeting is a flop because no one was prepared, and their spontaneous ideas are frankly fireable-offense bad (a baguette bag shaped like a baguette for Paris?

— Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025

Definition of bad

Adjective

While the baits are not harmful to pets, eating several may cause mild stomach upset.

— Dan Raby, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026
The film primarily follows Frances Haugen (Mikey Madison), a Facebook employee in the company’s civic integrity team, the group tasked with making sure Facebook acts responsibly and avoids the harmful impacts of its product.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of harmful

Adjective

Without all that, the series misses out on the ugly, earthy, sensual details that could have complicated her past blank innocence.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
Earlier this season, the Seahawks coach described a dispute with Payton that got ugly enough for Seattle to threaten a lawsuit.

— Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of ugly

Noun

But Steffee, who has spent the past several months watching his members go back to work at data center sites where coal used to be the reason anyone had a job at all, also believes the governor got the framing wrong.

— Salena Zito, Washington Post, 6 Oct. 2026
The governor, those critics said, missed an opportunity to take historic apologies he’s made for the state’s past wrongs against Indigenous people and turn them into more concrete changes.

— Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of wrong

Adjective

When threatening phone calls begin and a dangerous fugitive surfaces in town, Jenny grows suspicious of everyone around her as the danger begins closing in.

— Glenn Garner, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2026
One of the reasons being an actor is both dangerous and a privilege is that your job is to think about all the different roads your life could take, and all the people that live inside you, and all your potential.

— Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of dangerous

Adjective

The next year Williams was charged in the Southern District of Iowa for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution in the kidnapping case.

— Breaking News, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
Federal authorities later charged him with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

— Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of unlawful

Adjective

That’s likely to inspire either affection or immediate exhaustion, depending on your fondness for the infamously disgusting performance group.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026
People tend to think of waste as trash, sewage, slag, manure and other seemingly useless or disgusting substances.

— Edward D. Melillo, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026

Definition of disgusting

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evidently

evil

evildoer

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Style

“Evil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/evil. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of evil

noun

adjective

Example Sentences

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