evil 1 of 2

noun

Definition of evilnext
as in bad
that which is morally unacceptable our free will allows us to choose between good and evil

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

evil

2 of 2

adjective

ˈē-vəl How to pronounce evil (audio)
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

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
The mother, gathering the last of her strength to hold the iron door handle tight to protect her family from the evil on the other side. — Jim Masters, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026 Both Dussehra and Vijayadashami are observed on the 10th day of the Hindu calendar month of Ashvina and are associated with the triumph of good over evil. — Tamanna Nangia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Oct. 2026
Adjective
Some believed that phallic icons served as protective amulets against infertility and evil spirits, thus leading to their incorporation in performances, art, and architecture. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026 James Spader reprises his role as Ultron, an evil artificial intelligence that built Vision to be his own ultimate physical form. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for evil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for evil
  1. bad
  2. harmful
  3. immoral
  4. ugly
  5. wrong
  6. dangerous
  7. unlawful
  8. disgusting
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
  • Local government and outside groups have long strived to ban the popular tourist attraction that critics argue is harmful to horses’ well-being.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Waters are becoming cloudier overall, while harmful algal blooms — measured through chlorophyll a levels — are trending in the wrong direction, the report found.
    — Adam Thompson, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of harmful
Adjective
  • Central to the exhibition is the tension between the honorable and the immoral, the appealing and the revolting.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Luca Guadagnino’s Artificial premiered at New York Film Festival last night and left many people wondering, Just how funny can a movie about both the terrible capacity of generative AI and the immoral people in charge of it be?
    — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of immoral
Adjective
  • My right pants leg was gone and among the smaller cuts an ugly gash puckered at me from the calf.
    — Gerald R. Hunter, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The first attempts at a foldable smartphone in the 2010s from other companies tended to be fragile and not all that useful, with a big, ugly crease in the center interrupting the experience.
    — Andrew R. Chow, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of ugly
Noun
  • More than 45 years after the first Friday the 13th, Brad Caleb Kane is righting a wrong from the set of the 1980 slasher.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Right on the trend and wrong on the calendar is a way to lose money as old as investing itself.
    — Milos Maricic, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of wrong
Adjective
  • Swimmers should remain out of the water due to dangerous surf conditions.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Fresh to strong winds will produce dangerous boating conditions, high surf, life-threatening rip currents, and moderate beach erosion through at least the first half of the coming week, forecasters said.
    — Felix Rodriguez, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of dangerous
Adjective
  • The complaint seeks a declaration that DeWine’s executive order is unlawful.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Paporakis faces one felony count of making a terrorist threat and one felony count of unlawful possession of a weapon.
    — Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 16 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

Browse Nearby Words

evidently
evil
evildoer
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Cite this Entry

“Evil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/evil. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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