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
Fans of improv, musicals and audience participation will thoroughly enjoy this performance and should be prepared to repent for sins like eating a hamburger, owning too many snakes or yearning for a younger man. — Talia McWright, Twin Cities, 9 Aug. 2026 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
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
  • Bryan DiGirolamo, special agent in charge of ATF New York, told CNN the more guns are traced, the more crimes between the US and Canada can be linked, ultimately exposing trafficking rings.
    — Mark Morales, CNN Money, 9 Aug. 2026
  • South Africa has disputed the numbers, saying some of those deaths were connected to crimes like robberies and not migration protests.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Aug. 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 show’s significant weaknesses, then, seem all the more tragic.
    — Jared Kaufman, Twin Cities, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Committed employees are often the most willing to compensate for an organization’s weaknesses.
    — Brian Eason, Fortune, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of weaknesses
Verb
  • Methane evaporates, forms clouds, falls as rain, and collects in lakes and seas.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Then, after darkness falls, the annual Perseid meteor shower will peak beneath perfectly moonless skies.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of falls
Noun
  • It’s designed to limit TAPPS rule violations and relies more on fact than the UIL’s process, which is designed to allow coaches to voice their opinions if necessary.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Sources say that the information sharing included details about immigrants who are just suspected of civil immigration violations, such as overstaying their visa.
    — Dan Raby, CBS News, 12 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
  • The network experiences around 150 to 200 cable faults annually.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The authors created a 28-second animation, showing how tectonic strain increased along the faults over the last 1,000 years.
    — Rong-Gong Lin II Los Angeles Times, Arkansas Online, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of faults

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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 15 Aug. 2026.

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