sinful

adjective

sin·​ful ˈsin-fəl How to pronounce sinful (audio)
1
: tainted with, marked by, or full of sin : wicked
2
: such as to make one feel guilty
a sinful chocolate cake
sinfully adverb
sinfulness noun

Examples of sinful in a Sentence

It is sinful to steal. chastised by his minister for his sinful behavior
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Sammie’s father is right to be concerned, but wrong about the sinful nature of the blues—Sinners depicts musical talent as a divine blessing, a power that can pierce the veil between worlds, for good or for ill. Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025 April 20: Projections showed A Minecraft Movie remaining atop the box office this Easter weekend, but audiences actually felt more sinful than predicted. Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 20 Apr. 2025 Gregory argued that Magdalene should be understood as highly sinful, referring to a story, in the Book of Luke, in which Jesus exorcised seven demons from her body. Eliza Griswold, New Yorker, 19 Apr. 2025 WalletHub set out to find the least and most sinful states in the U.S. Ben Kesslen, Quartz, 27 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sinful

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sinful was before the 12th century

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Cite this Entry

“Sinful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sinful. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

sinful

adjective
sin·​ful ˈsin-fəl How to pronounce sinful (audio)
: marked by or full of sin : wicked
sinfully adverb
sinfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on sinful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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