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
  • That technical term means a calculation error can cause memory corruption inside the system.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Five years ago, Martin had been involved in a major gang case that prosecutors eventually dismissed following the fallout from the corruption and racist texting scandal involving Antioch police.
    Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The president's endorsement didn't clear the GOP crowded field to replace Greene — some observers cast that as a sign of weakness — but Fuller easily overcame other Republican contenders.
    Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Some policy defenders contend that the labor market weakness reflects adjustments to immigration restrictions rather than fundamental economic failure, positioning this as a deliberate policy choice rather than an economic failure.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • In 2021, federal prosecutors convicted him of nine felony counts, including distributing methamphetamine resulting in death and enticement to cross state lines to engage in prostitution.
    Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
  • In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida to state charges of soliciting prostitution in exchange for having a federal case against him dropped.
    Faris Tanyos, CBS News, 4 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • On one hand, no one ever wants to repeat the Dolphins’ sin of passing over Drew Brees in free agency in 2006.
    Jeff Howe, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
  • All of these are sins that Trump would likely understand.
    Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The defense is flawed, the government argued, because Song is not free from fault in prompting Gross’ use of force and the defense cannot show Gross’ pointing his gun at the fleeing person was objectively unreasonable under the circumstances.
    Emerson Clarridge Updated March 5, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Restaurant operators acknowledged their own faults for lengthening the permit process, including by providing incorrect or incomplete information, according to the report.
    Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Why does their desire to hurt the American president politically trump their desire to assist the Iranian people achieve a new future for their children, free from the evil of the current regime?
    Chris Roemer, Baltimore Sun, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Blood Meridian throws out the Western trope of good versus evil in favor of a nihilist view of a world consumed by violence.
    Carolina A. Miranda, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Tua’s shortcomings Tagovailoa never possessed the frame, the arm, or the athleticism.
    Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
  • Perhaps Edwards is right that the exit had more to do with Liverpool’s strengths than with Wolves’ shortcomings.
    Steve Madeley, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Courteney Cox‘s dogged reporter/stand-in for media immorality Gale Weathers will naturally be on the scene once again, as well a host of recurring characters, fan favorites, and old faces from all six of the previous entries.
    David Fear, Rolling Stone, 27 Feb. 2026
  • This approach can be applied to any behavior, including crime and immorality.
    Christopher M. Filley, The Conversation, 3 Feb. 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 11 Mar. 2026.

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