vice

1
2
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

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
  • In 2019, the 37-year-old Bukele ran for president as a populist outsider promising to defeat crime and corruption in a nation with one of the world’s worst homicide rates and a history of former presidents being charged with crimes.
    T. Christian Miller, ProPublica, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Milei has had more success taming Argentina’s hyperinflation than first expected, but has been dealing with a brewing currency crisis and several corruption scandals.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This relationship between a military’s combat troop and support personnel is a glaring weakness of the proposal.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Adductor dysfunction — whether from weakness or tightness — can create problems that extend far beyond your inner thighs.
    Dana Santas, CNN Money, 26 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Each count of transportation to engage in prostitution holds a maximum sentence of 10 years, tallying up to a possible 20 years in prison for Combs.
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 26 Sep. 2025
  • All of this was sent to Judge Arun Subramanian as Combs’ lawyers work to secure their client the most lenient sentence possible following his conviction on two felony prostitution charges this summer.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 26 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Their sins will be washed away by the waters of liberty.
    City News Service, Oc Register, 26 Sep. 2025
  • Maybe she’s being punished for her sin?
    Keith Phipps, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The Hayward fault is one of the most closely monitored in California due to its proximity to dense urban centers.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
  • But some issues aren't the appliance's fault, Taylor said.
    Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • But this is no case study in the evils of devil-worshipping musicians.
    Judy Berman, Time, 29 Sep. 2025
  • On this Sunday, a day meant for worship and peace, such violence is a grave evil.
    Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Advertisement The contrast was on display in the session’s opening moments, when Annalena Baerbock, the General Assembly’s president, urged delegates not to give in to despair about the institution’s shortcomings.
    Nik Popli, Time, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Further still, Karty complicated their offensive shortcomings by striking knuckleball kickoffs that return specialists Tank Bigsby and John Metchie III could not handle.
    Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 22 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Hank isn’t being accused of mere immorality, after all; he’s being accused of rape, which was also a crime back in Kierkegaard’s days.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2025
  • Beyond the inherent immorality of thoughtlessly torturing and killing birds and wildlife, Death Pipes are an example of the hidden toll that people and their structures are exacting on nature.
    GrrlScientist, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2025
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vice. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on vice

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!