vice

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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
  • The tech giant has built in a feature called Memory Integrity Enforcement, which is designed to stop attacks targeting memory corruption bugs, often exploited by spyware developers and phone forensic tools used by law enforcement, TechCrunch reports.
    Thomas Brewster, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • The rise is coupled with major political shifts in the country following the election of President Bernardo Arévalo, who vowed to fight corruption, tackle inequality, and rectify the discrimination against Indigenous Peoples after years of democratic erosion and corruption.
    Simmone Shah, Time, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The addition of shutdown closer Jhoan Duran has turned their bullpen from a weakness into a roster strength.
    Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The milestone marks a symbolic win for the blue-chip index, highlighting the market’s resilience despite tariff concerns and signs of weakness in the economy.
    Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Epstein pleaded guilty to two state prostitution charges and served 13 months in prison after a controversial plea deal.
    Christian Edwards, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Tangent Epstein was indicted for soliciting prostitution in Florida in 2006.
    Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The Sagrada Família was founded as an expiatory church, meaning that it would be financed by prayerful donations from people atoning for their sins.
    D. T. Max, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Lee and her brother William would preach far and wide to attract people to their cause (a necessity, given the lifetime celibacy requirement) and their pursuit of a utopian society free of any and all sin.
    Barry Levitt, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Thug’s preexisting relationship with Big Bank also makes the conversation feel very intimate, though sometimes to a fault.
    Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Would the Clippers be at fault if a sponsor decides to pay a player, but there isn’t sufficient evidence the team directed that payment?
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • As noted above, the emphasis was on the states of evil, sycophancy, and hallucination.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • The third was that the other political party is not just wrong politically but downright evil.
    Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The current Razorback defenders are well aware of the shortcomings in last year’s game.
    Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Does what Marsh or Kepler provide on defense outweigh the matchup shortcomings against a lefty pitcher?
    Matt Gelb, New York Times, 11 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.

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Cite this Entry

“Vice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vice. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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