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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
Kaporos is intended to symbolize the transfer of one’s sins to a chicken. — Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 20 Sep. 2026 The sins of the father are ultimately presented in a literal, stomach-churning slideshow that haphazardly alternates benign family snaps with gleeful photographic evidence of Johan’s war crimes. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 Sep. 2026 The speech is also a kind of litmus test for translators and adaptors, an opportunity for a politically progressive character to let rip not simply against general human hypocrisy but against the particular sins of a moment. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026 Yet what follows is an extended list of ethical sins, with a focus on the sins of abusive speech, such as slandering, slurring, slighting and smearing the reputations of others. — Reuven Kimelman, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026 The context of the record, about the ghosts left in the wake of American sins, is gripping enough, but Williams’ voice cut through with staggering precision. — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2026 So lets unpack all the sins and consequences, starting with those tied to the case John just closed. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Sep. 2026 Some Jews may pray near a body of water in a Tashlich ceremony, tossing pieces of bread or other food into the water to symbolize sending off sins. — Bailey Allen, The Providence Journal, 10 Sep. 2026 Summaries of their sins and absurdities have now filled several books, but a sampler is instructive. — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 30 Aug. 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
  • Taylor, who led the rebel movement before becoming Liberia's president, was later convicted of aiding and abetting crimes committed by rebel forces in neighboring Sierra Leone.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Yet, punishing such authoritarian lawbreakers for their domestic and international crimes is essential, in my view.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of crimes
Noun
  • For many, recognizing the evils Hamas committed on October 7 obviated the need to understand them.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Early in the outbreak, Tedros talked about having visited the outbreak zone and being struck by the fact that many people seemed to view Ebola as a lesser of evils.
    — Helen Branswell, STAT, 16 Sep. 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
  • Similarly, behavioral assessments also shed light on potential weaknesses, such as poor communication skills or a tendency to avoid conflict, which can be addressed proactively.
    — Karla Vallecillo, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026
  • This ambitious tripartite structure comes with strengths and weaknesses.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of weaknesses
Verb
  • Because every moment is narrated in Ugandan Sign Language and International Sign, Deaf travelers are more deeply immersed in the experience, and a welcome hush falls over the environment—which is, surprise, appreciated by the wildlife too.
    — CNT Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026
  • However, the salt can solidify if its temperature falls too close to its freezing point.
    — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of falls
Noun
  • Meanwhile, drone debris and airspace violations in Moldova and Romania highlight widening risks for Europe.
    — Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
  • However the police video footage shows officers left Saetern laying flat on his back in a spit hood and unattended for 10 minutes— clear violations of national policies regarding those tools, a police expert said.
    — Theresa Clift, Sacbee.com, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of violations
Noun
  • Billy Baker giving [Preach] a second chance at life to right his wrongs and become a teacher…that’s real life.
    — Katie Campione, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2026
  • With quarterback Cooper Rush set to start his second straight game, the Falcons are looking to right some of the wrongs from the Pittsburgh matchup, where Rush was dealing with back issues and struggled to get the offense going.
    — AJC.com, AJC.com, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of wrongs
Noun
  • Spotting faults early DiagFit does not need a large library of previous failures to identify an anomaly.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The team suspects the increase in the rate and intensity of earthquakes shows that Earth’s crust did not return to normal after the final test in 2017, but instead seismicity increased as at least two preexisting faults became active, Kim said.
    — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 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 26 Sep. 2026.

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