cardinal sin
noun
: a very bad or serious sin in Christianity
—often used figuratively or humorously
Giving false information is a cardinal sin in news reporting.
He committed the cardinal sin of criticizing his boss.
Examples of cardinal sin in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But that doesn’t mean that artificially sugared sodas, retail consumption, or social media are depraved, worthless activities akin to the cardinal sin of sloth or the tragic spiral of heroin addiction.
—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2026
That's a cardinal sin in this league.
—
Joe Kinsey Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
There are any number of things the school could do to support his recovery — honoring his scholarship, setting him up with the best doctors and counselors — that do not include letting a guy who violated the cardinal sin of sports be their starting quarterback.
—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
Betting on one’s team is a cardinal sin in sports.
—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
10 June 2026
Spending too much time on modifying or mollifying faculty — and not enough on student success, including graduation rates — is a cardinal sin for administrators.
—
Nick Ladany,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2026
To release a Black song with no bass line was seen as a cardinal sin.
—
Ahmir “questlove” Thompson,
VIBE.com,
7 June 2026
The cardinal sin of spring leagues, one the UFL needs to avoid, is a poor business model, said Bob Heere, a University of North Texas professor of sports management and director of UNT Sports Innovation Space.
—
Eric Prisbell,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Apr. 2026
Brian Wysol and his collaborators (producers of Robot Chicken and Rick and Morty) commit the cardinal sin of trying to be weird and failing in an uninteresting way.
—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
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Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
16 June 2026
That's a cardinal sin in this league.
—
Joe Kinsey Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
12 June 2026
There are any number of things the school could do to support his recovery — honoring his scholarship, setting him up with the best doctors and counselors — that do not include letting a guy who violated the cardinal sin of sports be their starting quarterback.
—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
Betting on one’s team is a cardinal sin in sports.
—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
10 June 2026
Spending too much time on modifying or mollifying faculty — and not enough on student success, including graduation rates — is a cardinal sin for administrators.
—
Nick Ladany,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2026
To release a Black song with no bass line was seen as a cardinal sin.
—
Ahmir “questlove” Thompson,
VIBE.com,
7 June 2026
The cardinal sin of spring leagues, one the UFL needs to avoid, is a poor business model, said Bob Heere, a University of North Texas professor of sports management and director of UNT Sports Innovation Space.
—
Eric Prisbell,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Apr. 2026
Brian Wysol and his collaborators (producers of Robot Chicken and Rick and Morty) commit the cardinal sin of trying to be weird and failing in an uninteresting way.
—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
18 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cardinal sin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cardinal%20sin. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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