Synonyms of sin

sin 1 of 2

noun

ˈsin 

1

as in crime

a breaking of a moral or legal code

a child old enough to know that lying is a sin

Synonyms & Similar Words

• crime
• violation
• sinfulness
• felony
• trespass
• wrongdoing
• transgression
• error
• debt
• misdeed
• offense
• breach
• lawbreaking
• malefaction
• misconduct
• misdoing
• infringement
• misdemeanor
• immorality
• wickedness
• hate crime
• corruption
• iniquity
• misfeasance
• abuse
• criminality
• foible
• fault
• vice
• licentiousness
• depravity
• illegality
• peccadillo
• unlawfulness
• bias crime
• lawlessness
• debauchery
• break
• downfall
• iniquitousness
• fall
• descent

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• innocence
• righteousness
• blamelessness
• morality
• virtue
• goodness
• impeccability
• noncrime
• guiltlessness
• virtuousness
• faultlessness
• irreproachability

2

as in evil

that which is morally unacceptable

a minister who worries that modern society has abandoned the concept of sin

Synonyms & Similar Words

• evil
• bad
• wrong
• sinfulness
• badness
• evilness
• immorality
• iniquity
• villainy
• evildoing
• ill
• wickedness
• vileness
• heinousness
• darkness
• satanism
• diabolism
• corruption
• enormity
• atrocity
• canker
• decay
• devilishness
• squalor
• rot
• perversion
• cancer
• fiendishness
• devilry
• balefulness
• degeneracy
• depravedness
• scurrility
• depravity
• abomination
• iniquitousness
• indecency
• taboo
• debauchery
• malefaction
• atrociousness
• anathema
• pervertedness
• scurrilousness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• virtue
• morality
• right
• good
• goodness
• integrity
• righteousness
• honesty
• rectitude
• decency
• uprightness
• probity
• virtuousness

3

as in sinfulness

immoral conduct or practices harmful or offensive to society

a sordid section of the city that is mainly known for sin and degradation

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sinfulness
• corruption
• evil
• immorality
• evilness
• licentiousness
• corruptness
• iniquity
• profligacy
• badness
• depravity
• libertinism
• vice
• libertinage
• bad
• debauchery
• criminality
• wickedness
• iniquitousness
• turpitude
• ill
• vileness
• heinousness
• villainy
• evildoing
• dissoluteness
• villainousness
• lewdness
• wrong
• lasciviousness
• debasement
• viciousness
• degeneracy
• perversion
• meanness
• abomination
• baseness
• fiendishness
• wantonness
• unscrupulousness
• lechery
• taboo
• indecency
• devilry
• dissolution
• looseness
• wretchedness
• degeneration
• depravedness
• anathema
• dirtiness
• lousiness
• lowness
• pervertedness
• atrociousness
• miserableness
• despicableness
• reprehensibleness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• morality
• virtue
• right
• righteousness
• good
• legitimacy
• integrity
• honor
• goodness
• rectitude
• honesty
• uprightness
• probity
• purity
• scrupulosity
• perfection
• chastity
• innocence
• scrupulousness
• virtuousness
• blamelessness
• correctness
• rightness
• propriety
• decency
• cleanness
• spotlessness
• pureness
• seemliness
• decorousness

4

as in shame

a regrettable or blameworthy act

it's a sin to waste food when people are starving

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shame
• pity
• crime
• scandal
• disgrace
• outrage

5

as in weakness

a defect in character

my besetting sin is impatience—I hate to wait for anything

Synonyms & Similar Words

• weakness
• fault
• sinfulness
• shortcoming
• failing
• deficiency
• demerit
• vice
• feet of clay
• foible
• evil
• frailty
• dereliction
• stain
• imperfection
• want
• blot
• blemish
• immorality
• flaw
• minus
• wickedness
• corruption
• soft spot
• depravity
• nit
• spot
• Achilles' heel

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• virtue
• merit
• perfection
• excellence
• morality
• righteousness
• goodness
• integrity
• rectitude
• probity

sin

2 of 2

verb

as in to trespass

to commit an offense

bless me, Father, for I have sinned

Synonyms & Similar Words

• trespass
• fall
• wander
• transgress
• offend
• stray
• err
• fall from grace
• violate
• break the law
• breach
• infringe
• lapse
• backslide
• break
• mess up

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• justify
• forgive
• pardon
• regret
• repent
• rue

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun sin contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of sin are crime, offense, scandal, and vice. While all these words mean "a transgression of law," sin implies an offense against moral or religious law.

the sin of blasphemy

When could crime be used to replace sin?

The synonyms crime and sin are sometimes interchangeable, but crime implies a serious offense punishable by the law of the state.

the crime of murder

When would offense be a good substitute for sin?

In some situations, the words offense and sin are roughly equivalent. However, offense applies to the infraction of any law, rule, or code.

at that school no offense went unpunished

Where would scandal be a reasonable alternative to sin?

While in some cases nearly identical to sin, scandal applies to an offense that outrages the public conscience.

a career ruined by a sex scandal

When is vice a more appropriate choice than sin?

The meanings of vice and sin largely overlap; however, vice applies to a habit or practice that degrades or corrupts.

regarded gambling as a vice

How does the noun sin contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of sin are crime, offense, scandal, and vice. While all these words mean "a transgression of law," sin implies an offense against moral or religious law.

the sin of blasphemy

When could crime be used to replace sin?

The synonyms crime and sin are sometimes interchangeable, but crime implies a serious offense punishable by the law of the state.

the crime of murder

When would offense be a good substitute for sin?

In some situations, the words offense and sin are roughly equivalent. However, offense applies to the infraction of any law, rule, or code.

at that school no offense went unpunished

Where would scandal be a reasonable alternative to sin?

While in some cases nearly identical to sin, scandal applies to an offense that outrages the public conscience.

a career ruined by a sex scandal

When is vice a more appropriate choice than sin?

The meanings of vice and sin largely overlap; however, vice applies to a habit or practice that degrades or corrupts.

regarded gambling as a vice

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sin

Noun

Her Orthodox priest reassures her that nobody is without sin. —Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026

In order to reconcile this, some medieval Christians developed the idea that the defeats were a punishment for Christian sin. —Anna Piela, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026

Verb

The mothers were sometimes sent away to live in Magdalene laundries, where they were often cruelly abused: in these institutions, women and girls who were viewed to have sinned in some way were made to work for little or no pay, washing, ironing and mending locals’ laundry. —Jade Wilson, The Dial, 21 Oct. 2025

Many societies in the past have linked swearing to blasphemy or sin. —Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025