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
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Recent Examples of heinous
At the same time, Clark and Vasquez, by recording their heinous act, may have been trying to create a vibe for their own digital communities on Discord, a chat service that has become popular with gamers and extremists.
—
Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 20 May 2026
After it was revealed earlier this month that cops have been called to the home of former MLB pitcher Carl Pavano and his ex-wife nine times over the last two years, more heinous allegations against Pavano have emerged.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
Accused and now convicted of such a heinous crime.
—Melissa Gaffney, CBS News, 13 May 2026
Ma supports the death penalty for those who kill police officers in the line of duty or commit heinous crimes against women and children.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for heinous
Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 20 May 2026
After it was revealed earlier this month that cops have been called to the home of former MLB pitcher Carl Pavano and his ex-wife nine times over the last two years, more heinous allegations against Pavano have emerged.
—Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 14 May 2026
Accused and now convicted of such a heinous crime.
—Melissa Gaffney, CBS News, 13 May 2026
Ma supports the death penalty for those who kill police officers in the line of duty or commit heinous crimes against women and children.
—Los Angeles Times, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for heinous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heinous
Adjective
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In 1984, following Operation Blue Star, the assassination of India's prime minister by her Sikh bodyguard triggered horrific mob violence that killed thousands of Sikhs across the country, pushing many more to flee.—
Akash Pamarthy,
NPR,
6 June 2026
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In this true crime documentary, Emmy-winning filmmaker Liz Garbus and her team examine the timeline leading up to the horrific incident, offering a different explanation behind one of New York's worst motor vehicle accidents.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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This episode is both incredibly gruesome and incredibly funny, and the show maintains an excellent balance between the two extremes.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
10 June 2026
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On Monday evening, protesters burned down a bus as tensions rose in Belfast following the gruesome stabbing, despite earlier calls from authorities for calm.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
9 June 2026
Adjective
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The concept of this many women vying for West is somewhat sickening to me.—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
27 May 2026
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So united and powerful were these Indigenous people that some of their enemies started to get desperate, that whiff of anxiety taking on a sickening stench.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
Adjective
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Here are the five most shocking moments from Dutton Ranch season 1, episode 6.—
Samantha Stutsman,
PEOPLE,
13 June 2026
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While this may seem shocking, the most important variables found by Yartseva are informative.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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In 2012, a powerful quake visited terrible damage on the city of Modena, Bottura’s home and host to his restaurant.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
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The letter writer’s cousin has cancer, and the chemo gives her terrible side effects.—
Eric Thomas,
Sun Sentinel,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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The Savages’ social standing has dwindled to the point that only their equally horrible, grasping neighbors, the Bennetts (Richard McCabe and Vicki Pepperdine, both very funny), will fraternize with them.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
4 June 2026
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Without an ecosystem of competitive bids like Kalshi's, the customer usually walks away with a horrible deal.—
Ananya Chetia,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
Adjective
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Heinous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heinous. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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