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 New York summers are heinous and oppressive; there was a week where the temperature remained above 94 degrees. — Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 25 July 2026 In a statement, Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle pointed out how two juries recommended Andres be sentenced to death — and two judges imposed the ultimate punishment — for the heinous crime. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026 Hawley listed criminals convicted of heinous crimes and questioned her judgment for recommending clemency. — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 22 July 2026 Victims of these heinous crimes deserve the state’s complete protection, care, and legal safeguards. — Yoni Anijar, Sun Sentinel, 20 July 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
  • Civilian death and destruction, however horrific, do not establish genocide.
    — Arielle Kaden, New York Daily News, 3 Aug. 2026
  • His team added that Emmanuel Haro's sister was subjected to horrific abuse and watched her brother die as a result of their parents' neglect.
    — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of horrific
Adjective
  • Burke was not merely a rising star grappling with new fame, prosecutors contend, but a killer carrying a gruesome secret.
    — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The massacre left the community reeling from the losses and the gruesome nature of the victims’ deaths.
    — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of gruesome
Adjective
  • That’s why Law is a celebrity stylist; Law is known for curating sickening looks for his celebrity clients, but maybe sort of skimping out on himself, unfortunately.
    — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 29 July 2026
  • There are also challenges for local businesses, which say customers are staying away because the stench is so sickening.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
Definition of sickening
Adjective
  • Randy Orton made a shocking return to WWE SummerSlam 2026, hitting an RKO on Cody Rhodes before CM Punk was able to capitalize with a fifth GTS.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • This may have seemed shocking to those who associated alien life primarily with science fiction invasion scenarios like The War of the Worlds.
    — Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 30 July 2026
Definition of shocking
Adjective
  • To interrogate Fauci now, for absolutely no coherent reason and completely without sense, is shameful and disgusting.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026
  • The left's most hated author — JK Rowling — has dropped the hammer on the disgusting things that took place at the Indiana Fever-Seattle Storm game earlier this week.
    — Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026
Definition of disgusting
Adjective
  • The delta between the disability from these diseases and the amount of funding and research being done on them is terrible.
    — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026
  • And forty per cent was about how great Modi is and how terrible the opposition is.
    — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of terrible
Adjective
  • But the Chinese way will cause a proliferation of talent, usage, data—until something horrible happens.
    — Evan Osnos, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • The Badgers have had horrible injury luck, which has led to bad QB play the past few years.
    — Antonio Morales, New York Times, 27 July 2026
Definition of horrible
Adjective
  • Punk tried an ugly moonsault and missed, leading to a Cody kickout at two.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Further, the most recent version of a Flyers black sweater was just plain ugly.
    — The Athletic NHL Staff, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of ugly

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heinies
heinous
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Cite this Entry

“Heinous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heinous. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on heinous

Nglish: Translation of heinous for Spanish Speakers

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