evil 1 of 2

noun

Definition of evilnext
as in bad
that which is morally unacceptable our free will allows us to choose between good and evil

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

evil

2 of 2

adjective

ˈē-vəl How to pronounce evil (audio)
1
as in harmful
causing or capable of causing harm drank an evil potion

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in immoral
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable their evil deeds rank among the worst in history

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in ugly
causing intense displeasure, disgust, or resentment she refused to eat olives or anything which had their evil flavor

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 evil
Noun
East of Eden, Steinbeck draws from the Bible to weave a complex, multi-decade story of two families and the struggle between good and evil. — Caroline Rogers, Southern Living, 22 Aug. 2026 Currently residing in the Further, Elise explains that Cyrus and his cronies plan to unleash their evil in the land of the living. — Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Adjective
There’s no greater bond than women who accidentally killed their evil boss together. — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2026 Society perceives fathers who kill to be evil, but certain mothers appear to be presumed mentally ill. — Dr. Susan Hatters Friedman, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for evil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for evil
  1. bad
  2. harmful
  3. immoral
  4. ugly
  5. wrong
  6. dangerous
  7. unlawful
  8. disgusting
Noun
  • In addition to public goods, AI will also create public bads.
    — James Broughel, Forbes.com, 8 June 2026
  • Naturally, the meeting is a flop because no one was prepared, and their spontaneous ideas are frankly fireable-offense bad (a baguette bag shaped like a baguette for Paris?
    — Jessica M. Goldstein, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
Definition of bad
Adjective
  • But fasted training isn’t necessarily harmful to muscle gain, Maroldi adds.
    — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
  • What’s considered harmful to minors can be subjective, and this is where experts believe laws requiring age verification can run afoul of the First Amendment.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of harmful
Adjective
  • He was branded a heretic, in part for preaching that the nobility were immoral and so was nobility itself.
    — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Heilbrun was speaking to his evaluation of Clancy’s case and her understanding of what is immoral.
    — NBC News, NBC news, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of immoral
Adjective
  • The seventh-round rookie threw an ugly interception in the first quarter, while backpedaling and off his back foot.
    — Sam McDowell, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Several leading Democrats, including Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries, issued statements denouncing Piker’s ugly warning to the Jews as a barely veiled anti-Semitic threat.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of ugly
Noun
  • Ultimately, the level of documentation should reflect the consequences of getting the record wrong.
    — Beth Worthy, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Salazar’s attorney, George Rosenstock, argued in court filings that his client could not distinguish right from wrong or understand the nature of his actions at the time of the attack.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of wrong
Adjective
  • Heaping credit onto Espada is dangerous, but so is blaming him for every game that goes awry.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • That’s a dangerous prospect for any country, but especially for Singapore, crammed into a space smaller than New York City.
    — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of dangerous
Adjective
  • Spires is also charged with felony unlawful possession of a firearm by a dangerous person and three misdemeanors, while Wilson is also charged with two misdemeanors, filings show.
    — Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Put more bluntly, sports event contracts are protected by federal law in some parts of the country but remain vulnerable elsewhere to states deeming them unlawful.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of unlawful
Adjective
  • There is real hope of a postseason push, with the disgusting state of the American League leaving the door open for any team that dares to play well.
    — Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • This whole situation is discriminatory, disgusting, and quite frankly, Orwellian.
    — Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of disgusting

Browse Nearby Words

evidently
evil
evildoer
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Cite this Entry

“Evil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/evil. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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