as in bad
that which is morally unacceptable
our free will allows us to choose between good and evil
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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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
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Recent Examples of evil
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Prime Video's fantasy series about angels, demons and good and evil is returning May 13 for what was meant to be a third and final season.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 14 May 2026
An Amador County man was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2023 fatal stabbing of a 63-year-old woman in her Ione home, described by prosecutors and the judge as deliberate, evil and brutal.
—Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for evil
Noun
Rodriguez-Singh called Noel evil and a demon, police have said.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Prime Video's fantasy series about angels, demons and good and evil is returning May 13 for what was meant to be a third and final season.
—Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 13 May 2026
Adjective
Based on a story by Sastra Film founder Bun Channimol, the film follows a group of YouTube ghost-hunters who encounter an evil force in the Cambodian jungle.
—Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 14 May 2026
An Amador County man was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2023 fatal stabbing of a 63-year-old woman in her Ione home, described by prosecutors and the judge as deliberate, evil and brutal.
—Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for evil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for evil
Noun
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While working together on The Unit, David Mamet once told you that good drama isn’t a choice between good and bad; good drama is the choice between two bads.—
Max Gao,
The Hollywood Reporter,
24 Jan. 2025
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Reports out of fall camp haven’t been super favorable to their offense, and while the defense will, again, be top-notch, a team with this bad of an offense cannot be trusted.—
Austin Mock,
The Athletic,
19 Aug. 2024
Adjective
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Prosecutors maintain the search was legal because it was conducted in conjunction with an arrest and officers were following Altoona police protocols that require them to check for dangerous items that could be harmful to them or the public.—
Michael R. Sisak,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
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Santos is charged with distributing food with a harmful substance, according to court records obtained by the Telegram & Gazette, part of the USA TODAY Network.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
18 May 2026
Adjective
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Each side views members of the other party not as merely having a different view on politics but rather as evil or immoral.—
James Piazza,
Twin Cities,
30 Apr. 2026
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Pope Francis changed the church’s social teaching to declare capital punishment immoral in all cases.—
Nicole Winfield,
Fortune,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Last year, the two teams met in London in an ugly 13-11 Denver win.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
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With respect to humor’s inherent subjectivity, the appallingly ugly aesthetics of the AI overwhelm any possible comedic sensibility on display.—
Vikram Murthi,
IndieWire,
15 May 2026
Noun
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There’s also the inclination to right a wrong, as in the case of Turner.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
14 May 2026
-
Most of what could go wrong has already been engineered against.—
Chris Dong,
Travel + Leisure,
12 May 2026
Adjective
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But pretty quickly, Wahl said that both the mother and police realized something more dangerous could be brewing.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
19 May 2026
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Sheets touched on the other key to his success — and any dangerous hitter’s success — in the above quote.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 May 2026
Adjective
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The 27-year-old founder of a Sikh motorcycle club that prosecutors say was linked to the notorious Hells Angels has been sentenced for illegally dealing in firearms and unlawful possession of a machine gun.—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
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The Justice Department has repeatedly argued that the information sought in the subpoenas is needed to investigate possible fraud or unlawful off-label promotion of drugs.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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How on Earth could this Wild team, after dominating the first period and taking a 3-0 lead with a chance to keep its season alive and force a Game 6, collapse in such an absolutely disgusting fashion?—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
14 May 2026
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Just days ago, the CDC announced that over 100 passengers and more than a dozen crew members on a different ship, the Caribbean Princess, have been infected by norovirus—a less fatal but more disgusting illness.—
Hillary Busis,
Vanity Fair,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Evil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/evil. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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