evil 1 of 2

Definition of evilnext

evil

2 of 2

adjective

1
2
as in immoral
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable their evil deeds rank among the worst in history

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

3

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
Or even better, use self-checkout to avoid the evil, uncaring cashier or bag person. Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 June 2026 The Exorcism Theory Something evil has attached itself to our victim and must be coaxed out. Ravi Gupta, New York Daily News, 10 June 2026
Adjective
Based on the iconic Roald Dahl book of the same name, the movie follows the young Matilda, who is forced to put up with her abusive parents and her evil principal, Miss Trunchbull. Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 7 June 2026 After the evil Skeletor (Jared Leto) snatches his parents, Adam is plucked out of Eternia and returns years later from the human world to assume his true identity as He-Man and save the planet. Matt Minton, Variety, 6 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for evil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for evil
Noun
  • 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
  • In times when the city's bad seems to overshadow the good, Daniels and others like him can be a guidepost for generations to come.
    Sophia Tiedge, jsonline.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • In the layer of the upper atmosphere called the stratosphere, the gas creates a protective layer that shields Earthlings from harmful ultraviolet rays.
    Jeanna Bryner, Scientific American, 8 June 2026
  • The data center near Quindaro doesn’t have the capacity to be as harmful as the center out west, and the impacts of having a data center in Quindaro wouldn’t equate to the same health risks as having a coal plant did, Gorman said.
    Sofi Zeman June 8, Kansas City Star, 8 June 2026
Adjective
  • Religious practitioners may also regard nonheterosexual orientations or non-cisgender identities as immoral or otherwise inconsistent with their religious beliefs.
    Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 June 2026
  • Republicans, grow a spine and stop the immoral president.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 10 June 2026
Adjective
  • From Valentino pig hoofs to Chanel half-sandals, our feeds are full of silly, outrageous and outright ugly footwear.
    Shane O’Neill, Washington Post, 12 June 2026
  • Still, the settlement agreement bars either side from appealing Liman’s ruling, potentially drawing one of Hollywood’s ugliest recent legal fights to a close.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026
Noun
  • In markets where enforcement is tightening, the cost of getting this wrong is rising.
    Alex Daruty, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
  • The comeback had been as much about what the Spurs had done wrong as the Knicks had done right.
    Tim Rohan, NBC news, 11 June 2026
Adjective
  • Yet oil futures have not skyrocketed to the dangerous levels forecasters feared — at least not yet.
    Matt Egan, CNN Money, 9 June 2026
  • Financial watchdogs view telecoms acting as dangerous regulatory arbitrage, fearing that seamless digital wallets are a backdoor for capital flight.
    Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 8 June 2026
Adjective
  • What happens if a landlord charges an unlawful late fee?
    Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 June 2026
  • London’s High Court ruled that the decision to proscribe the group was unlawful, but has kept the ban in place pending an appeals court ruling due Monday.
    ABC News, ABC News, 12 June 2026
Adjective
  • With its violent and disgusting script, Se7en defied Hollywood conventions and was a perfect match for David Fincher, who was then known for directing Alien 3 (1992) along with gritty and inventive music videos.
    Eric Farwell, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026
  • The president announced the work in April during an unrelated Oval Office appearance, saying he was inspired by complaints from a friend visiting from Germany who called the pool dark and disgusting.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Evil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/evil. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on evil

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster