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

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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 Flood died young, a couple of days after his 59th birthday, in 1997, from the vile effects of throat cancer. Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 30 July 2025 This treatment is vile and an affront to our Constitution and our principles of equal protection under the law. Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2025 There are really disturbing, vile conditions and this place needs to be shut the hell down. NBC news, 13 July 2025 After verbally attacking President Donald Trump and top White House aide Stephen Miller with vile and repugnant rhetoric, Moran secured a spot for himself as the poster child for the definition of a world-class hater. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 19 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for vile
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vile
Adjective
  • When her mother leaves the room for a moment, she's accosted by a demonic entity that toys with her through funhouse-style reflections, creating this evil doppelganger of Judy.
    Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Sep. 2025
  • The city has been taken over by a bunch of evil gangs and so the nerdy Scott Pilgrim and his pals, including Ramona Flowers and Lucas Lee come to the rescue.
    Joshua Lamb, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Sean Gardner/Getty Images This comes just weeks after Zilisch suffered a nasty fall from his car in Victory Lane at Watkins Glen, which resulted in a broken collarbone.
    Lydia Mee, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Parents pushing, people cutting lines, nasty attitudes everywhere, especially outside and in Sephora.
    Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • This comes after Sunday's ugly loss to the Indianapolis Colts, a game that saw Hill catch just four passes for 40 yards.
    Drew VonScio, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Sep. 2025
  • That’s a hard reality to stomach for Giants fans, who had to watch their offense go 4-for-16 on third downs, pile up just 157 passing yards and finish with six points in an ugly loss to the Commanders.
    Zak Keefer, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Ladapo said the decision was not reached according to the data, but instead on his view that vaccine mandates are immoral and outside the scope of the government’s authority.
    Sarah Fortinsky, The Hill, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Even the paper’s biggest triumph—which, without giving too much away, brings it into direct conflict with its toilet-paper stablemate—involves a farcically immoral compromise that tramples the church-state divide between news and product sales (and, worse, isn’t all that funny).
    Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Wearing shoes in the home tracks soil from outside, leaving floors dirtier and requiring more frequent sweeping.
    Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Laptop screens get spattered, smeared, dusty, and dirty from frequent use.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Hart was short, with a hideous combover.
    Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 30 Aug. 2025
  • That hideous incentive triggered My Lai and other similarly heinous attacks.
    Matthew Carey, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Green, of Jackson Township, has been charged with murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon in connection with Reid's death, according to Billhimer.
    Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
  • The world’s highest court, the International Court of Justice, has ruled that there is a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza, and that Israel’s occupation and apartheid against Palestinians are unlawful.
    Zac Ntim, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Because of the cruel math of throughput and utilization, over ten days, only three hundred people experienced Blur.
    Charlie Fink, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
  • Tamra was awful to Gretchen back then, culminating in the Naked Wasted Party, which was one of the cruelest things to ever happen on Housewives.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Vile.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vile. Accessed 13 Sep. 2025.

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