VILE Synonyms: 248 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'vile' contrast with its synonyms?

The words base and low are common synonyms of vile . While all three words mean "deserving of contempt because of the absence of higher values," vile , the strongest of these words, tends to suggest disgusting depravity or filth. // a vile remark

Q: When can 'base' be used instead of 'vile'?

The words base and vile are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, base stresses the ignoble and may suggest cruelty, treachery, greed, or grossness. // base motives

Q: When is 'low' a more appropriate choice than 'vile'?

The meanings of low and vile largely overlap; however, low may connote crafty cunning, vulgarity, or immorality and regularly implies an outraging of one's sense of decency or propriety. // refused to listen to such low talk

vile

adjective

ˈvī(-ə)l

Definition of vile

as in evil

not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable a vile plot to murder their political enemies

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in nasty

not following or in accordance with standards of honor and decency a vile trick to play on someone

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in ugly

unpleasant to look at an outfit with a truly vile combination of colors

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective vile contrast with its synonyms?

The words base and low are common synonyms of vile. While all three words mean "deserving of contempt because of the absence of higher values," vile, the strongest of these words, tends to suggest disgusting depravity or filth.

a vile remark

When can base be used instead of vile?

The words base and vile are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, base stresses the ignoble and may suggest cruelty, treachery, greed, or grossness.

base motives

When is low a more appropriate choice than vile?

The meanings of low and vile largely overlap; however, low may connote crafty cunning, vulgarity, or immorality and regularly implies an outraging of one's sense of decency or propriety.

refused to listen to such low talk

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of vile Kiju looked at me, took my hand, and walked around the woman and out into the night air as those inside gasped and moved to help the vile woman. — Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026 Disgusted that any adult would ever consider exploiting a child in such a vile and predatory way. — Bryan Lynn, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026 The Internet is full of useless slop—uncurated, jarring, and often vile. — Air Mail, 1 Aug. 2026 But no amount of handouts, Hefty bags and Windex can pretty up the scene right now around Lineage, as my colleague Salvador Hernandez described this week in vivid, vile detail. — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for vile

Recent Examples of Synonyms for vile

Adjective

Americans are up in arms about the much broader graft practiced by much of the political class, not just by its evil faux-king.

— Larry Wilson, Daily News, 7 Nov. 2026
Some stories can harden moral perception, of course, pushing us to dichotomize the purely good and the purely evil, as in the moral pornography of superhero comics and revenge flicks.

— Paul Bloom, New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of evil

Adjective

Surely, though, it is not lost on the audience that this play opens in the middle of a strikingly nasty political campaign to elect members of the Chicago school board, warring Democrats all.

— Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026
Someone who hung up on your problem is unlikely to listen to a nasty critique and vow to reform.

— Judith Martin, Sun Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of nasty

Adjective

But the reason for this rather ugly framing device is that the team strives to educate the masses in the art of bankrobbing at the expense of being caught.

— Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 12 Nov. 2026
Even when things got ugly under Carrick, the supporters chose to back the former midfielder, putting the blame firmly at the feet of the players and the club’s hierarchy.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 12 Nov. 2026

Definition of ugly

Adjective

Hollywood called out as immoral as studio puts paying viewers in charge of the screen.

— , FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2026
Convince people that an innocent person represents an existential threat, furnish them with a frightening conspiracy theory about an immoral enemy, and some may become willing to kill.

— Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of immoral

Adjective

Floor around the fryers, floor under and around the drive thru drink station and floor under and around stationary equipment is visibly dirty.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026
Using the same sponge for every surface and spill could be making your kitchen dirtier every time.

— Sarah Everett, The Spruce, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of dirty

Adjective

There is the hideous poverty and working-class conditions—in the mines, the textile factories, the steel mills—with all of their dangerous, low-end jobs and lack of hope, that produce both the era’s anarchists and its socialists.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 12 Nov. 2026
In his latest romp, corporate greed, lovable cows and hideous monsters converge in Richland, Ohio.

— Sam Macdonald, Scientific American, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of hideous

Adjective

Chrinos was charged with carrying a rifle outside a home or business, three counts of unlawful transportation of a firearm, three counts of unregistered firearms and three counts of unregistered ammunition, DHS said.

— Kyla Guilfoil, NBC news, 7 Nov. 2026
The department also wants to strengthen corporate oversight and deter unlawful applications.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of unlawful

Adjective

Newsom and other opponents of capital punishment have long argued that the process is costly, cruel and discriminatory, with death sentences disproportionately handed down to defendants of color.

— Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
In a cruel twist of fate, the back half of the trailer shows Geoff being affected by severe confusion, sitting outside his house in the cold.

— Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of cruel

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viharas

vile

vilely

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“Vile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vile. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of vile

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