heinous

adjective

Definition of heinousnext
as in horrific
very bad or evil; deserving of hate or contempt These murders were especially heinous. the heinous brutality of the attack

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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 heinous Hostages killed in captivity, in different but heinous ways, were tricklingly returned to their families in bags. — Rachel Goldberg-Polin, Time, 6 Oct. 2026 The bones are there (floors, square footage, no heinous design details). — Nora Deligter, Curbed, 2 Oct. 2026 But, in the course of her residence there, Lowen begins to suspect Verity of heinous deeds—and of an elaborate scam of which Jeremy is a victim. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026 No Muslim can even dare to think of committing such a heinous [act]. — Mark Osborne, CBS News, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for heinous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heinous
  1. horrific
  2. gruesome
  3. sickening
  4. shocking
  5. disgusting
  6. terrible
  7. horrible
  8. ugly
Adjective
  • Teen details horrific ordeal Duarte met the 15-year-old when the girl was taking a stroll with her dog near a pool at the hotel, according to Duarte’s arrest report.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Short says despite Thursday night's horrific crime, RTD has done a lot to ensure the safety of their operators and passengers.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of horrific
Adjective
  • Less than four minutes into the game, Apple Valley senior fullback Joseph Lopez suffered a gruesome leg injury and the game was delayed about 30 minutes for the medical response and on-field treatment.
    — Dan Arritt, Oc Register, 7 Nov. 2026
  • In his Address at Gettysburg, President Lincoln transformed a gruesome battle into the raison d’être of a truly United States that for the first time in its history became a union.
    — Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of gruesome
Adjective
  • Advertisement In Brazil and South America, outbreaks of a fungus that causes a disfiguring and sometimes fatal skin disease have been sickening cats, dogs, and people.
    — Dominique Mosbergen, Time, 27 Oct. 2026
  • And, of course, leave it to Zendaya to add some sickening vintage to the WNBA Finals.
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of sickening
Adjective
  • And, like every other soap opera, this one appears to involve at least a dose of deception leading up to Huang’s shocking exit on Thursday.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 12 Nov. 2026
  • The differences with our own age are great, but the similarities are shocking.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of shocking
Adjective
  • Everyone starts tasting the varied, apparently disgusting, bottles.
    — Alice Burton, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The third branch of government did its job, and that should be a welcome sight for all Americans given the disgusting and dangerous attacks on our democracy by the federal government.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of disgusting
Adjective
  • The bat lay on its back, soggy and wretched, here in the waning hours of this terrible day.
    — Téa Obreht, New Yorker, 1 Nov. 2026
  • An ugly fight between teammates during training camp was a terrible start to a season that officially began with a loss against North Carolina, a game in Dublin that TCU essentially sold, against the desires of Dykes.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of terrible
Adjective
  • Their monthlong travel by ship was under horrible conditions.
    — Lois K. Solomon, Sun Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2026
  • While the fire was horrible, Hong said some blessings have emerged from the tragedy.
    — Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • But the reason for this rather ugly framing device is that the team strives to educate the masses in the art of bankrobbing at the expense of being caught.
    — Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 12 Nov. 2026
  • Even when things got ugly under Carrick, the supporters chose to back the former midfielder, putting the blame firmly at the feet of the players and the club’s hierarchy.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 12 Nov. 2026
Definition of ugly

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heinies
heinous
heinousness
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Cite this Entry

“Heinous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heinous. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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