Dictionary entry details
• EVIL (noun)
Meaning:
Morally objectionable behavior
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Synonyms:
evil; wickedness; immorality; iniquity
Hypernyms ("evil" is a kind of...):
evildoing; transgression (the act of transgressing; the violation of a law or a duty or moral principle)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "evil"):
devilry; deviltry (wicked and cruel behavior)
foul play (unfair or treacherous behavior (especially involving violence))
irreverence; violation (a disrespectful act)
sexual immorality (the evil ascribed to sexual acts that violate social conventions)
Meaning:
That which causes harm or destruction or misfortune
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Context example:
the evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones
Hypernyms ("evil" is a kind of...):
bad; badness (that which is below standard or expectations as of ethics or decency)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "evil"):
Four Horsemen ((New Testament) the four evils that will come at the end of the world: conquest rides a white horse; war a red horse; famine a black horse; plague a pale horse)
Meaning:
The quality of being morally wrong in principle or practice
Classified under:
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects
Synonyms:
evilness; evil
Context example:
attempts to explain the origin of evil in the world
Hypernyms ("evil" is a kind of...):
immorality (the quality of not being in accord with standards of right or good conduct)
Attribute:
evil (morally bad or wrong)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "evil"):
frailty; vice (moral weakness)
error; wrongdoing (departure from what is ethically acceptable)
perverseness; perversity (deliberately deviating from what is good)
villainousness; villainy (the quality of evil by virtue of villainous behavior)
reprehensibility (being reprehensible; worthy of and deserving reprehension or reproof)
nefariousness; ugliness; vileness; wickedness (the quality of being wicked)
worst (the greatest damage or wickedness of which one is capable)
balefulness; maleficence; mischief (the quality or nature of being harmful or evil)
malignance; malignancy; malignity (quality of being disposed to evil; intense ill will)
malevolence; malevolency; malice (the quality of threatening evil)
Antonym:
good (moral excellence or admirableness)
• EVIL (adjective)
Meaning:
Morally bad or wrong
Context examples:
evil purposes / an evil influence / evil deeds
Similar:
evil-minded (having evil thoughts or intentions)
devilish; diabolic; diabolical; mephistophelean; mephistophelian (showing the cunning or ingenuity or wickedness typical of a devil)
despicable; slimy; ugly; unworthy; vile; worthless; wretched (morally reprehensible)
demonic; diabolic; diabolical; fiendish; hellish; infernal; satanic; unholy (extremely evil or cruel; expressive of cruelty or befitting hell)
corruptive; perversive; pestiferous (tending to corrupt or pervert)
black; dark; sinister (stemming from evil characteristics or forces; wicked or dishonorable)
bad; immoral (characterized by wickedness or immorality)
atrocious; flagitious; grievous; heinous; monstrous (shockingly brutal or cruel)
Also:
wicked (morally bad in principle or practice)
unrighteous (not righteous)
wrong (contrary to conscience or morality or law)
offensive (unpleasant or disgusting especially to the senses)
immoral (deliberately violating accepted principles of right and wrong)
bad (having undesirable or negative qualities)
Attribute:
evil; evilness (the quality of being morally wrong in principle or practice)
Antonym:
good (morally admirable)
Meaning:
Having the nature of vice
Synonyms:
evil; vicious
Similar:
wicked (morally bad in principle or practice)
Meaning:
Tending to cause great harm
Synonyms:
injurious; evil; harmful
Similar:
malign (evil or harmful in nature or influence)
Meaning:
Having or exerting a malignant influence
Synonyms:
malefic; malevolent; malign; evil
Context examples:
malevolent stars / a malefic force
Similar:
maleficent (harmful or evil in intent or effect)
