as in bad
that which is morally unacceptable
our free will allows us to choose between good and evil
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in harmful
causing or capable of causing harm
drank an evil potion
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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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3
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of evil
Zach Dennis, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025
While New York remains one of the top terror targets in the world, communities from Boston to San Bernardino to New Orleans have now faced acts of evil at the hands of terrorists.
—Andrew Garbarino, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Their first book, Manacled, took place in an alternate Harry Potter universe where The Boy Who Lived actually died and evil wizard Voldermort triumphed, according to the Times.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for evil
Noun
But evil still catches up to Yoshii (Masaki Suda) in the latest thriller from director Kiyoshi Kurosawa.
—Zach Dennis, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025
While New York remains one of the top terror targets in the world, communities from Boston to San Bernardino to New Orleans have now faced acts of evil at the hands of terrorists.
—Andrew Garbarino, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
As with the beach visits, the churches and cemeteries reinforced to me the madness of war, and the evil actors who start them.
—Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Their first book, Manacled, took place in an alternate Harry Potter universe where The Boy Who Lived actually died and evil wizard Voldermort triumphed, according to the Times.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for evil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for evil
Noun
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While working together on The Unit, David Mamet once told you that good drama isn’t a choice between good and bad; good drama is the choice between two bads.—
Max Gao,
The Hollywood Reporter,
24 Jan. 2025
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Reports out of fall camp haven’t been super favorable to their offense, and while the defense will, again, be top-notch, a team with this bad of an offense cannot be trusted.—
Austin Mock,
The Athletic,
19 Aug. 2024
Adjective
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According to a five-pillar plan shared with CNBC, Cruz also aims to create federal standards for AI, prevent AI from being used in harmful ways such as scams, allow free speech and address ethical concerns.—
Emily Wilkins,
CNBC,
10 Sep. 2025
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Nonfiction narratives that students both read and produce serve as counter-narratives to the oppressive and harmful tropes in media more generally about Black girls and girlhood.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Ladapo said the decision was not reached according to the data, but instead on his view that vaccine mandates are immoral and outside the scope of the government’s authority.—
Sarah Fortinsky,
The Hill,
7 Sep. 2025
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Even the paper’s biggest triumph—which, without giving too much away, brings it into direct conflict with its toilet-paper stablemate—involves a farcically immoral compromise that tramples the church-state divide between news and product sales (and, worse, isn’t all that funny).—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The only debate is which of his five interceptions against LSU was the ugliest and/or costliest in a 20-10 loss.—
David Ubben,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
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The results were ugly and caused lasting damage to our citizens' livelihoods and our city's reputation.—
Ted Wheeler,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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That justifies the team orders to right a wrong.—
Rob Reed,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
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Almost a quarter of a century has passed since the Republic of Ireland last featured in the finals of a World Cup, and the Boys In Green host Hungary on Saturday hoping to right that wrong.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Demonizing or attempting to eliminate those who think differently – literally or symbolically – has become a dangerous norm, which is all too evident in the wake of the Kirk shooting.—
Arash Javanbakht,
The Conversation,
15 Sep. 2025
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During volatile periods, this becomes especially dangerous because customer loyalty becomes more fragile and harder to rebuild.—
Talbott Roche,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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In November, jurors convicted Martinez of unlawful compensation and a related conspiracy charge.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
15 Sep. 2025
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The world’s highest court, the International Court of Justice, has ruled that there is a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza, and that Israel’s occupation and apartheid against Palestinians are unlawful.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This behavior is disgusting and they should be fired.—
Zach LaChance,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Sep. 2025
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And yet … those conversations are also entertainingly provocative, and they’re accompanied by some of the scariest and most disgusting scenes the series has delivered up to now.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Evil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/evil. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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