1
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
2
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
3
as in ugly
unpleasant to look at
an outfit with a truly vile combination of colors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of vile
McGregor, on the other hand, had viewers in the palm of his hand as Christian, the penniless writer who falls in love with Satine despite her commitment to a truly vile duke, who has invested in the Moulin Rouge and promised to make Satine’s dreams of stage stardom come true.
—
Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026
Wasserman was long presumed to be an mere philanthropic acquaintance of the vile and very well connected Epstein (who died in mysterious circumstances in a NYC jail in 2019), the massive document dump by Donald Trump‘s DOJ in late January revealed a carnal 2003 correspondence with Maxwell.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2026
Aerion was absolutely vile to him.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2026
That’s why every encounter with a non-vile mezcal should be celebrated, and the Desolas Mezcal Reposado is decidedly not vile.
—Air Mail, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for vile
Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 2026
Wasserman was long presumed to be an mere philanthropic acquaintance of the vile and very well connected Epstein (who died in mysterious circumstances in a NYC jail in 2019), the massive document dump by Donald Trump‘s DOJ in late January revealed a carnal 2003 correspondence with Maxwell.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2026
Aerion was absolutely vile to him.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2026
That’s why every encounter with a non-vile mezcal should be celebrated, and the Desolas Mezcal Reposado is decidedly not vile.
—Air Mail, 21 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for vile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vile
Adjective
-
There's very few probably as evil as Marsha Allen and Ashley Jones.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
-
The earliest Greek philosophers focused their attention upon the origin and nature of the physical world; later philosophers have theorized about the nature of knowledge, truth, good and evil, love, friendship, and much more.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The culprit is a nasty invasive plant, which became one of the most popular landscape trees available − the Bradford pear.—
Campbell Vaughn,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
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Weather officials warned of a warm front moving through north central and northeast Illinois possibly creating nasty weather of thunderstorms, damaging winds and large hail.—
Deanese Williams-Harris,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The outcome was already decided – an ugly display of basketball that was never competitive – but potentially losing Doncic proverbially sucked the oxygen out of the visitors’ locker room after the game.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
3 Apr. 2026
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Featuring the good, the bad and the ugly, ‘Look of the Week’ is a regular series dedicated to unpacking the most talked about outfit of the last seven days.—
Rachel Tashjian,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Lawyers for the church argue that Morris’ agreements with the church preclude him from those benefits if he was fired or resigned because of immoral behavior.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
2 Apr. 2026
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The Michigan State Police said Robert Wilson, 44, of Gaylord, was arrested on March 25 and lodged at the Otsego County Jail on one charge each of accosting a minor for immoral purposes and using a computer to commit a crime.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The five fabulous transfers who make up coach Dusty May’s starting lineup got down and dirty with the rest of the Wolverines to dig out the national championship on Monday.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2026
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And speaking of windows, Wiseman said that the windows of Orion are already dirty because the crew enjoyed looking out of them so much.—
Jacopo Prisco,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
All our buildings are these hideous rectangles.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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Unfortunately, their appearance is so hideous to ordinary flesh-and-blood creatures that looking at a Medusan is liable to induce madness and death.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The unlawful increases also affect the basic plan, which saw a 2-euro increase in October 2024.—
Scharon Harding,
ArsTechnica,
3 Apr. 2026
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The teacher, Charissa Newport, faces a charge of unlawful restraint of a child younger than 17, according to the Keller Police Department.—
Doug Myers,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Its tulle is brittle and sharp, brushing against my fur like a thousand tiny teeth, a cruel lover that bites with every move.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
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Because here’s the last, and cruelest, kicker.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Vile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vile. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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