as in immoral
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable
chastised by his minister for his sinful behavior
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Recent Examples of sinful
Gettin’ sinful all of a sudden.
—
David Searcy, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Tantric cultural and spiritual traditions, which began to emerge in the early centuries of the Common Era, take a positive perspective on the material world in general and the human body in particular, as opposed to traditions that regard both as inherently illusory or sinful.
—Anya Foxen, The Conversation, 9 Dec. 2025
In New York, the story goes that the sloppily sinful sandwich on rye bread was named for the founder of New York’s Reuben Restaurant.
—Terry Ward, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for sinful
David Searcy, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
Tantric cultural and spiritual traditions, which began to emerge in the early centuries of the Common Era, take a positive perspective on the material world in general and the human body in particular, as opposed to traditions that regard both as inherently illusory or sinful.
—Anya Foxen, The Conversation, 9 Dec. 2025
In New York, the story goes that the sloppily sinful sandwich on rye bread was named for the founder of New York’s Reuben Restaurant.
—Terry Ward, CNN Money, 15 Nov. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for sinful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sinful
Adjective
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To do so is to be tacitly complicit in what these companies know to be wrong, unethical and immoral.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
7 Apr. 2026
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Lawyers for the church argue that Morris’ agreements with the church preclude him from those benefits if he was fired or resigned because of immoral behavior.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Besides, anyone who doesn’t agree with the left is said to be evil, so anything progressives do to destroy, or at least restrain that evil, is justified.—
Chris Roemer,
Baltimore Sun,
9 Apr. 2026
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Fifteen years later, her sister Merry faces her family’s dark past with a journalist uncovering the nature of the evil force that undid them.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Under Texas law, a contract signed under duress is generally voidable if it was obtained through an improper or unlawful threat that overrode the signer’s free will.—
Chase Rogers,
Dallas Morning News,
10 Apr. 2026
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Violating that trust is both cruel and unlawful.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Offensively, the Cubs didn’t do much against Guardians starter Joey Cantillo, armed with a wicked changeup, and the Cleveland bullpen.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
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For Iran, what counts is resistance, against arrogant and wicked oppressors, chiefly the United States and Israel.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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His Max is both vile and charming, and the result is undeniably magnetic.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Apr. 2026
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Slayyyter’s music is vile, explicit, and a threat to common decency.—
Harry Tafoya,
Pitchfork,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The wereboar growled next to Black Pudding, a hulking vicious monster, both focused on ripping Puck and Cordelia to shreds.—
Jaclyn Cosgrove,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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The childishness of his expressions infantilized a genuinely vicious regime, painting it as more peevish than petrifying.—
Fintan O’Toole,
The New York Review of Books,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Kawhi Leonard sat out for the Clippers to rest ankle and wrist injuries, while Draymond Green was out for the Warriors with a bad back.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
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Was Paul’s effect on history, incalculably large, good or bad on the whole?—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Sunscreen protects against sun damage, premature aging and dark spots.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Apr. 2026
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Harden, 36, with his famous, protruding beard and those dark, piercing eyes, was determined to use his star power to get his way, to bring with him a slice of comfort to a new city.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sinful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sinful. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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