Synonyms of vice

vice

noun

ˈvīs 

1

as in corruption

immoral conduct or practices harmful or offensive to society

that section of the city is legendary for crime and vice

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

2

as in weakness

a defect in character

curiosity in children is not a vice, but something to be encouraged

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

3

as in prostitution

the practice of engaging in sexual activities for money

a seedy section of the city where vice is rampant and very much out in the open

Synonyms & Similar Words

• prostitution
• whoredom
• harlotry
• demimonde

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun vice contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of vice are crime, offense, scandal, and sin. While all these words mean "a transgression of law," vice applies to a habit or practice that degrades or corrupts.

regarded gambling as a vice

When would crime be a good substitute for vice?

The meanings of crime and vice largely overlap; however, crime implies a serious offense punishable by the law of the state.

the crime of murder

When is it sensible to use offense instead of vice?

While in some cases nearly identical to vice, offense applies to the infraction of any law, rule, or code.

at that school no offense went unpunished

When could scandal be used to replace vice?

The words scandal and vice can be used in similar contexts, but scandal applies to an offense that outrages the public conscience.

a career ruined by a sex scandal

In what contexts can sin take the place of vice?

In some situations, the words sin and vice are roughly equivalent. However, sin implies an offense against moral or religious law.

the sin of blasphemy