Thesaurus

vicious

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of vicious

1 extreme in degree, power, or effect

a vicious winter storm ripped through the region

Synonyms of vicious

acute, almighty, blistering, deep, dreadful, excruciating, explosive, exquisite, fearful, fearsome, ferocious, fierce, frightful, furious, ghastly, hard, heavy, heavy-duty, hellacious, intense, intensive, keen, profound, terrible, vehement, violent

Words Related to vicious

accentuated, aggravated, concentrated, deepened

emphasized, enhanced, heightened, intensified, magnified

exhaustive, thorough

harsh, rigorous, severe

Near Antonyms of vicious

shallow, superficial

moderated, qualified

alleviated, eased, lightened, toned (down)

abated, decreased, diminished, lessened, reduced, subdued

Antonyms of vicious

light, moderate, soft

2 having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others

she made a vicious effort to destroy the lives of the people who had wronged her

Synonyms of vicious

atrocious, barbaric, barbarous, brutal, brute, butcherly, cruel, fiendish, heartless, inhuman, inhumane, sadistic, savage, truculent, wanton

Words Related to vicious

hard-hearted, ironhearted, merciless, pitiless, ruthless, stonyhearted, unfeeling

fell, ferocious, grim

bloodthirsty, cutthroat, murderous, sanguinary, sanguine

catty, despiteful, hateful, malevolent, malicious, malign, malignant, mean, nasty, spiteful, vindictive

draconian, draconic, hardhanded, harsh, heavy-handed, oppressive

Phrases Synonymous with vicious

red in tooth and claw

Near Antonyms of vicious

tender, warm, warmhearted

charitable, clement, lenient, merciful, pitying

pacific, peaceable, peaceful

Antonyms of vicious

benign, benignant, compassionate, good-hearted, humane, kind, kindhearted, sympathetic, tenderhearted

3 not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable

a truly vicious person detested by almost everyone

Synonyms of vicious

bad, black, dark, evil, immoral, iniquitous, nefarious, rotten, sinful, unethical, unlawful, unrighteous, unsavory, vile, villainous, wicked, wrong

Words Related to vicious

base, contemptible, despicable, dirty, disreputable, evil-minded, ignoble, ill, infernal, low, mean, snide, sordid

atrocious, cruel, infamous, nasty

blamable, blameworthy, censurable, objectionable, obscene, offensive, reprehensible

corrupt, debased, debauched, degenerate, depraved, dissolute, libertine, loose, low-minded, perverted, reprobate, scrofulous, sick, unhealthy

cursed (also curst), cussed, defiling, noxious, pernicious, pestilential, ugly, ungodly, unwholesome

banned, barred, condemned, discouraged, forbidden, illegal, interdicted, outlawed, prohibited, proscribed, unauthorized, unclean

execrable, lousy, miserable, wretched

errant, erring, fallen, unprincipled, unscrupulous

improper, incorrect, indecent, indecorous, naughty, unbecoming, unseemly, vulgar

dishonest, dishonorable

Near Antonyms of vicious

elevated, high, high-minded, law-abiding, legitimate, lofty, noble, principled, reputable, scrupulous

allowed, authorized, legal, licensed, permissible, permitted

approved, endorsed (also indorsed), sanctioned

abetted, encouraged, promoted, supported

clean, correct, decent, decorous, exemplary, proper, seemly

blameless, commendable, creditable, guiltless, legitimate

chaste, immaculate, incorruptible, innocent, inoffensive, irreproachable, lily-white, perfect, pure, spotless, squeaky-clean, uncorrupted, unerring, unfallen, unobjectionable, venerable, white, wholesome

esteemed, respected, upstanding, worthy

Antonyms of vicious

decent, ethical, good, honest, honorable, just, moral, right, righteous, sublime, upright, virtuous

4 violently unfriendly or aggressive in disposition

a vicious dog that has already bitten several people

Synonyms of vicious

fell, ferocious, fierce, grim, savage

Words Related to vicious

argumentative, assaultive, bellicose, belligerent, brawly, chippy, combative, confrontational, discordant, disputatious, feisty, gladiatorial, militant, pugnacious, scrappy, warlike

bare-knuckle (also bare-knuckled), blood-and-guts, in-your-face, take-no-prisoners

contentious, quarrelsome, truculent

menacing, threatening

bestial, brute, inhuman, inhumane

barbaric, uncivilized, wild

heartless, implacable, merciless, pitiless, relentless, ruthless, unrelenting, wanton

bloodthirsty, bloody, homicidal, murdering, murderous, sanguinary, sanguine

rapacious, ravenous, voracious

Near Antonyms of vicious

amicable, companionable, comradely, congenial, cordial, friendly, genial, hearty, warm, warmhearted

compliant, submissive, tame

benign, compassionate, kind, merciful

pacific, peaceable, peaceful

amiable, complaisant, obliging

civilized, cultured

Antonyms of vicious

gentle, mild, unaggressive

5 having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it

he spread vicious rumors about his ex-wife after their bitter divorce

Synonyms of vicious

bad [slang], bitchy, catty, cruel, despiteful, hateful, malevolent, malicious, malign, malignant, mean, nasty, spiteful, virulent

Words Related to vicious

devious, scoundrelly, scurvy, snakelike

acrimonious, bitter, envious, jaundiced, jealous, rancorous, resentful, vindictive, vitriolic

contemptuous, deprecating, derogatory, disdainful, disparaging, mean-spirited, obnoxious, opprobrious, scornful, snide, snotty, unkind, unkindly, unloving

baleful, baneful, evil

harsh, hostile, inimical

acrid, caustic, poisonous, scathing, venomous

Near Antonyms of vicious

compassionate, good, good-hearted, kind, kindhearted, kindly, sympathetic, warm, warmhearted

affable, agreeable, amiable, cordial, friendly, genial, gracious, nice, pleasant

affectionate, amorous, sweet, tender, tenderhearted

altruistic, high-minded, humanitarian, magnanimous, noble, philanthropic (also philanthropical)

Antonyms of vicious

benevolent, benign, benignant, loving, unmalicious

Synonym Discussion of vicious

vicious, villainous, iniquitous, nefarious, corrupt, degenerate mean highly reprehensible or offensive in character, nature, or conduct. vicious may directly oppose virtuous in implying moral depravity, or may connote malignancy, cruelty, or destructive violence.

- a vicious gangster

villainous applies to any evil, depraved, or vile conduct or characteristic.

- a villainous assault

iniquitous implies absence of all signs of justice or fairness.

- an iniquitous system of taxation

nefarious suggests flagrant breaching of time-honored laws and traditions of conduct.

- the nefarious rackets of organized crime

corrupt stresses a loss of moral integrity or probity causing betrayal of principle or sworn obligations.

- city hall was rife with corrupt politicians

degenerate suggests having sunk to an especially vicious or enervated condition.

- a degenerate regime propped up by foreign powers

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Dictionary: Definition of vicious Medical Dictionary: Definition of vicious Spanish Central: Translation of vicious Nglish: Translation of vicious for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of vicious for Arabic speakers

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