as in evil
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable
the chaste heroines and nefarious villains of old-time melodramas
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Recent Examples of nefarious
Advocates fear the orders weaken safeguards that protect the public from unsafe reactor designs and reduce the risk that used fuel can be diverted for nefarious purposes.
—
Davis Winkie, USA Today, 23 May 2025
In a very short period of time, Trump had decided to go back in time to roughly 100 years ago when Europe meant nothing to us other than rapacious capitalists and communists all out to get us and drag us in to their nefarious ways.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 27 May 2025
Anyone with the belief that something nefarious happened at the Masters simply does not understand the sport.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
There are still many unanswered questions about this nefarious trove, including who compiled it and why.
—Emily Forlini, PC Magazine, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nefarious
Davis Winkie, USA Today, 23 May 2025
In a very short period of time, Trump had decided to go back in time to roughly 100 years ago when Europe meant nothing to us other than rapacious capitalists and communists all out to get us and drag us in to their nefarious ways.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 27 May 2025
Anyone with the belief that something nefarious happened at the Masters simply does not understand the sport.
—Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 May 2025
There are still many unanswered questions about this nefarious trove, including who compiled it and why.
—Emily Forlini, PC Magazine, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nefarious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nefarious
Adjective
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While Disney hasn’t revealed Starfighter’s plot, THR adds that the film revolves around Gosling’s character protecting a young charge against evil pursuers, one of whom is Goth.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
7 June 2025
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These dedicated warriors certainly earn our admiration in the good/evil binary of the conflict, but complications help give the documentary shape, as in the attention given a crusty logger named Valdir, who agreed to be featured on camera.—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
The man faces one count each of first-degree assault or attempted serious physical injury, armed criminal action, unlawful possession of a firearm, resisting arrest or detention by fleeing, and second-degree domestic assault.—
Caroline Zimmerman,
Kansas City Star,
4 June 2025
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In 2022, Hemphill pleaded guilty to unlawful parading, a misdemeanor charge that got her two months in prison, three years of probation and a $500 fine.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
4 June 2025
Adjective
-
Kudos to Bruce Springsteen for practicing his First Amendment rights to rail against the corrupt policies and immoral actions of the Trump administration.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
30 May 2025
-
Independent jurors can blunt the force of immoral laws and arbitrary prosecutions by refusing to subject their neighbors to unjust laws or overtly cruel punishment.—
Mike Fox,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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There’s a sinful sort of glee in watching all of this unfold, knowing that the same mournful character might be the next one to die.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
22 May 2025
-
The sinful acts on display here are a direct result of that disenfranchisement, an effort to reclaim what is still owed, forty acres and a mule, with interest.—
Richard Newby,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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There are other objects of worship from the days when Japan’s Christians had to hide from vicious persecution, including a ceramic bottle of holy water from Nakaenoshima, an island where Hidden Christians were martyred in the 1620s.—
Foster Klug,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2025
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Years before the Kendrick Lamar and Drake imbroglio, Pusha T shared his own vicious diss track against the Canadian hip-hop superstar.—
Matthew Strauss,
Pitchfork,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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Today's extradition is a giant step forward in holding the defendant accountable for his unspeakably reprehensible and vile efforts to spread fear, chaos, and hate.—
Mandy Taheri,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 May 2025
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Finally, the mint julep is a vile almost undrinkable beverage.—
John Cherwa,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2025
Adjective
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Opening April 8, 2026 A blind date spirals spectacularly off the rails in Becky Shaw, the razor-sharp dark comedy from two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist Gina Gionfriddo.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
3 June 2025
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He was last seen wearing a light shirt and dark shorts.—
David Chiu,
People.com,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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That cartilage injury was worse than expected, and Jiménez could miss all or most of this season rehabbing.—
David O'Brien,
New York Times,
5 June 2025
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Athletics manager Mark Kotsay has continued to search for answers to cure what ails the Athletics during their historically bad run of losing in West Sacramento.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
4 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nefarious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nefarious. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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