sins 1 of 2

noun

plural of sin
1
as in crimes
a breaking of a moral or legal code a child old enough to know that lying is a sin

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2
as in evils
that which is morally unacceptable a minister who worries that modern society has abandoned the concept of sin

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3
as in shames
a regrettable or blameworthy act it's a sin to waste food when people are starving

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4
as in weaknesses
a defect in character my besetting sin is impatience—I hate to wait for anything

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sins

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of sin
as in trespasses
to commit an offense bless me, Father, for I have sinned

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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 sins
Noun
Seven of our contributors gamely shared (some of) their secret sins. — Sabrina Jaszi, The Dial, 4 Aug. 2026 Among Ashley’s many sins, none were more wicked than the alienation of club legends, particularly Keegan. — James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026 That creates a dangerous possibility of AI as the ultimate seven-sins machine. — Regan Peng, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026 The big mic drop at the conclusion of the finale turns out that Paula is a stone-cold (if possibly accidental) killer after all, and that the shadowy Souter Group is going to make her pay for her sins. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 15 July 2026 The woman’s love and affection, as well as her genuine repentance, won his absolution of her sins. — Eric Bashor, Christian Science Monitor, 13 July 2026 But there are plenty of sins against the rules of cinematic chastity that marked that movement, such as the ample space made for Lasse Aagaard’s affecting, low-key score that amps up the anxiety as Vibeke starts to spiral. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026 Still, the tour doesn’t shy away from the mission’s sins over its 250 years, demystifying how supposedly carefree life was during the height of its operations before the United States conquered Mexico. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026 The angels, still in disguise as men, inform Lot that the city will be destroyed as punishment for its sins. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026
Verb
John DeWitt, the four-star general who oversaw the internment program, in particular, seems to be a forerunner to some of America's worst errors, paranoia, sins. — Philip Elliott, Time, 1 Dec. 2025 God’s likeness, which is our true, spiritual identity, never sins and is never punished. — Tony Lobl, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sins
  1. crimes
  2. evils
  3. shames
  4. weaknesses
  5. falls
  6. violations
  7. wrongs
  8. faults
Noun
  • She was charged with two counts of manslaughter, driving under the influence and other crimes.
    — Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 1 Aug. 2026
  • State lawmakers argued that schools should not be delaying reporting AI nudes until their own probes end but rather should be required to promptly tip off police, who are better positioned to investigate the crimes.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026
Definition of crimes
Noun
  • Blending horror with comedy, the Apple TV show takes place in a fictitious New England island town afflicted by a centuries-old curse that brings about supernatural evils.
    — Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 31 July 2026
  • During the War for Independence, the tribe saw the British as the lesser of two evils.
    — Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Definition of evils
Noun
  • While his character jokes casually about the shames of flying commercial, Ruck apologizes several times when referencing that, after 40 years of acting, work trips are often flown first class.
    — Kaitlin Menza, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Nov. 2021
Definition of shames
Noun
  • The core challenge is agents' ability to exploit existing weaknesses at scale, necessitating improved governance and careful permission management.
    — Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • But that means Japan now has significant weaknesses – remarkable for an advanced country that plays such a critical geopolitical role.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
Definition of weaknesses
Verb
  • That way if one of its holdings falls, the others are positioned to take up the slack, provided the economy is strong.
    — Michael Foster, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The impact falls disproportionately on women, who have left the workforce in droves, according to Challenger, Gray and Christmas.
    — Medora Lee, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of falls
Noun
  • So far, Lineage has received nine violations related to the smell.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Stockton, California, now uses AI to scan for code violations proactively and rank them for inspectors; its pilot surfaced 4,000 violations in five days.
    — Tom Dowling, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of violations
Noun
  • France fans will be hoping his return to the ranks will help right the wrongs of that night in Berlin.
    — Thomas Schlachter, CNN Money, 28 July 2026
  • Texas Longhorns Speaking of those Longhorns, Texas will be looking to right the wrongs from a disappointing 2025 heading into this year.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of wrongs
Noun
  • Now, thermal visibility is extremely useful in countless scenarios, such as rescue operations in smoke or darkness, inspections for identifying faults in infrastructure, covert operations in the dark, security monitoring, and safety.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 29 July 2026
  • But new trace faults found in the area required a new dam to be constructed, doubling the price by 2016 to $400 million.
    — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 28 July 2026
Definition of faults

Browse Nearby Words

sinning
sins
sin tax
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Cite this Entry

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

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