vice

Definition of vicenext
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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

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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for vice
Noun
  • Forty-seven years of extortion, corruption, and death will finally end.
    Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
  • Though Guelleh has presided over economic growth during his time as president, economic benefits have not fully trickled down, and much of the population remains mired in poverty; this economic inequality is due in part to corruption and patronage.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Years of the petrodollar’s weakening grasp The petrodollar’s weakness has been quietly exposed for even years prior to Saudi Arabia’s currency swap with China.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 7 Apr. 2026
  • Reinsdorf also emphasized the importance of both internal and external communication for a new hire, a notable weakness of the Karnišovas administration.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Combs was sentenced to four years in prison and a $500,000 fine after a jury convicted him of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2026
  • The 56-year-old is currently serving a 50-month sentence at Fort Dix, a low-security federal facility in New Jersey, after he was convicted of transportation to engage in prostitution.
    Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 9 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • As reported by Artribune, the provocateur, who recently made headlines for inviting the public to confess their sins to him, is now asking participants to bring an object of their choosing to a sunrise gathering, where it can be exchanged with others.
    Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Buddhists often celebrate Vesak with processions, by visiting temples, meditating and through acts of fasting, while adherents in India may immerse themselves in the river Ganga to wash away their sins.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 9 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The judge also found fault with the Pentagon’s attempt to revise an earlier policy that restricted journalists from soliciting information, classified or unclassified, that was not approved for release.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2026
  • The cost partly is the fault of Pritzker and state lawmakers.
    Willie Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • As Christians, we are mandated to defend ourselves against evil, to stand with the oppressed against the same, and to stand with the children of Israel at all times.
    Amelie Botbol, FOXNews.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • And, clearly, there are shortcomings to the current drug-approval process.
    Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
  • The show mostly avoids the politics that swirl around the design business, especially these days when critics are obsessed with the environmental evils of fast fashion and the shortcomings of an industry known to exploit labor around the globe.
    Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 6 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Consider this evilmeister’s brazen acts of treason and revenge, unbounded deceit, swinish immorality and negative role modeling.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Rather, a lengthy process can be initiated to remove a member from office for gross neglect of duty, gross immorality, drunkenness, or other misconduct, the Ohio School Board Association stated.
    Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4 Mar. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Vice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vice. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.

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