as in evil
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable
the chaste heroines and nefarious villains of old-time melodramas
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Recent Examples of nefarious
That nefarious entity is Valak, the same demon that appeared to Ed and Lorraine in The Conjuring 2, which takes place in 1977.
—
Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
These are just a few of the nefarious acts by Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Oct. 2025
This may be why there have been no high-profile convictions of dark AI creators and sellers up to this point — the focus for law enforcement remains on those who are using these tools for nefarious means.
—Big Think, 24 Oct. 2025
Another legend explains how in the distant past, the nefarious Lake Nyos was formed from the decomposing body of a Kom chief whose people had been tricked and murdered by the Bamessi tribe.
—Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nefarious
Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
These are just a few of the nefarious acts by Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow.
—Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Oct. 2025
This may be why there have been no high-profile convictions of dark AI creators and sellers up to this point — the focus for law enforcement remains on those who are using these tools for nefarious means.
—Big Think, 24 Oct. 2025
Another legend explains how in the distant past, the nefarious Lake Nyos was formed from the decomposing body of a Kom chief whose people had been tricked and murdered by the Bamessi tribe.
—Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nefarious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nefarious
Adjective
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But being evil aliens wasn't always on the cards.—
Grace Dean,
Space.com,
25 Oct. 2025
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Even the woman Larry falls for, Gwen (Evelyn Ankers), isn't immune to the animal's evil charms, and the creature nearly chokes the life out of her in one scene.—
Steven Thrash,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Advertisement What the Supreme Court is considering At issue before the Supreme Court is whether the federal statute barring gun ownership for unlawful drug users is similar enough to other historical restrictions on firearm possession.—
Solcyré Burga,
Time,
27 Oct. 2025
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Having been taken to Coonabarabran Police Station, Valette was charged with causing grievous bodily harm to a person with intent and affray, which is fighting or the threat of unlawful violence which makes another person fear for their life, per the NSW Police news release.—
Latoya Gayle,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The committee voted to ask Attorney General Josh Kaul to opine on whether grooming falls under the statute related to immoral conduct, which allows DPI to revoke a license if an educator violates it.—
Molly Beck,
jsonline.com,
24 Oct. 2025
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It was considered immoral to lie and the whole point of writing things down back then was to increase morality and improve society, so there really is no didactic history of forgery.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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There have long been debates in churches about whether just listening to worldly music was sinful, let alone playing it.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
18 Oct. 2025
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No one knows the cake’s origin, but people like to offer theories on its name: Some say the word devil is a nod to the sinful dark chocolate, reminiscent of devil’s food cake.—
Sheri Castle,
Southern Living,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This creates a vicious cycle where shame is a currency, and the only person who actually pays a price is the one who is mocked.—
Eli Thompson,
Rolling Stone,
25 Oct. 2025
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After their parents got the police involved, the case remained unsolved for months until the FBI uncovered the shocking truth of who was behind the vicious messages after all.—
James Mercadante,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Players have faced vile fan reactions and even death threats for their failure to satisfy bettors in the moment.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
26 Oct. 2025
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The Minnesota Vikings condemned the vile racist message defensive back Isaiah Rodgers received following the team’s 28-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Prince Harry wore a black blazer over a white T-shirt with dark pants.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
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Its legs are a similar pale yellow color covered with irregular black and dark-brown markings, according to Omelko.—
Lauren Liebhaber,
Miami Herald,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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FarmVille wasn’t bad, but something was missing.—
Moisés Naím,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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The asteroid impact triggered one of the planet's worst mass-extinction events, wiping out all dinosaurs but birds.—
DINO GRANDONI THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
26 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nefarious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nefarious. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
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