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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nefarious
Every creative tool can be used in nefarious ways.
—
Joe Lynch, Billboard, 25 Sep. 2025
In all, the facts should dash any worries of nefarious doctors inflating children with vast volumes of noxious concoctions.
—ArsTechnica, 24 Sep. 2025
The town itself is also undergoing a massive urban re-development initiative led by Quasartico — which definitely reeks of gentrification and will probably be nefarious in the long run.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2025
No telling yet whether that’s a sign of good will or an indication of something nefarious at play.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nefarious
Joe Lynch, Billboard, 25 Sep. 2025
In all, the facts should dash any worries of nefarious doctors inflating children with vast volumes of noxious concoctions.
—ArsTechnica, 24 Sep. 2025
The town itself is also undergoing a massive urban re-development initiative led by Quasartico — which definitely reeks of gentrification and will probably be nefarious in the long run.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2025
No telling yet whether that’s a sign of good will or an indication of something nefarious at play.
—Katie Campione, Deadline, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for nefarious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nefarious
Adjective
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If the full release can continue to generate oddly pulse-pounding moments like the near-death rooftop fight with an evil-eyed Pikachu, then Z-A might be worth an extended stay in Lumiose.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
24 Sep. 2025
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The kids discover their small town of Derry is home to an ancient, trans-dimensional evil that awakens every 27 years to prey mostly on children by taking the form of an evil clown named Pennywise.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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African telecom companies are often at the mercy of government agencies that order the shutdowns, but pressure from the international community could increase accountability and compel the companies to deny unlawful or arbitrary shutdown orders, the researchers argued.—
Alexander Onukwue,
semafor.com,
29 Sep. 2025
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Oregon is calling for the court to declare Hegseth's order unlawful and to enjoin the federalization of troops, as well as permanently enjoin the defense secretary and the Pentagon from calling upon Oregon National Guard members for federal service.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Unlike previous seasons, Dorothy never makes immoral choices.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
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This is disgraceful and immoral.—
Armando Garcia,
ABC News,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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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
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In an important variation, medieval soldiers returning from war regularly spent an extended period of penance in monasteries – a recognition of Catholicism’s teaching that any war is inherently sinful.—
Timothy Gabrielli,
The Conversation,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This pervasive fragmentation creates a vicious cycle.—
Emeka Ajene,
semafor.com,
29 Sep. 2025
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Two officers responded and learned the teen had barricaded himself inside the upper unit of the duplex with several vicious dogs, according to a search warrant.—
Chris Ramirez,
jsonline.com,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Continue reading … VACANT SEAT – City councilmember resigns after vile comment made to Trump supporter sparks backlash.—
,
FOXNews.com,
26 Sep. 2025
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This vile attack was motivated by hatred for ICE.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Attendees can also expect kid-friendly activities, including hair braiding, glow-in-the-dark face painting, accessory booths, photo booths, and giant inflatable mascots on the dance floor.—
Charlie Vargas,
Oc Register,
30 Sep. 2025
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Atop her dress, Carey opted for a long-sleeve dark leather jacket with a cropped design and edgy zipper closure.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Many of the people opining and whining about how this moment could be as bad or worse than the 2000 bust are uninformed or ahistorical.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
28 Sep. 2025
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Thankfully, my passport wasn’t stolen, nor was it stranded somewhere in the middle of the rainforest (my worst fear at the time).—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nefarious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nefarious. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.
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