as in immoral
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable
chastised by his minister for his sinful behavior
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Recent Examples of sinful
The wide-ranging punishments for such sinful behavior could include a prohibition on wearing gold and other precious jewelry, as well as large tithes to monastic orders and the poor.
—
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 June 2025
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
Pope Gregory, believing these demons to be an indication of Magdalene’s excessively sinful past, identified her as an unnamed woman in Luke who wipes Jesus’ feet with her hair.
—Eliza Griswold, New Yorker, 19 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sinful
Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 June 2025
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
Pope Gregory, believing these demons to be an indication of Magdalene’s excessively sinful past, identified her as an unnamed woman in Luke who wipes Jesus’ feet with her hair.
—Eliza Griswold, New Yorker, 19 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sinful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sinful
Adjective
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Basically, how others will judge you for moving on, if you’ll be seen as incompetent or immoral for quitting.—
Vicki Salemi,
Boston Herald,
20 July 2025
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With his opaque history and sources of wealth, his super-powerful friends and his immoral appetites, Epstein became the perfect avatar for our at-home Hollywood heroism.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
19 July 2025
Adjective
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Prosecutors alleged Vallow Daybell and her husband, Chad Daybell, believed an apocalypse was imminent and people around them were evil zombies.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
25 July 2025
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An evil wealthy guy who funds murderers to support his own sicko obsession?—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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First, opponents argued that the rule was unlawful and that Congress would need to amend the statute to implement the changes proposed by DHS in its rule.—
Stuart Anderson,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
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He was arrested at 12:22 a.m. Friday for misdemeanor unlawful speeding and driving under the influence, a first-degree misdemeanor.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 July 2025
Adjective
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Similarly, a text grappling with a wicked problem shouldn’t stay limited by the narrow confines of literary genre, instead blending journalism, memoir, fiction, and narrative nonfiction.—
Melody Glenn
July 23,
Literary Hub,
23 July 2025
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Stinging and 'wicked' Asian needle ants are spreading across the US Are invasive tawny crazy ants in Ohio?—
Kim Luciani,
The Enquirer,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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Arriving in London, Jess has a chance encounter with Felix (Will Sharpe), a broke musician, in a particularly vile pub toilet.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
17 July 2025
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The tweets, a vile departure from Elmo’s often inspiring and motivational social media cadence, were sent on July 13 and promptly taken down.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
14 July 2025
Adjective
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Over time, this can create a vicious cycle where poor sleep and chronic anxiety feed into each other, creating a loop that damages your well-being.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
22 July 2025
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There was a scary moment later in the third quarter when Charlotte’s James Banks III hit Sacramento’s Dylan Cardwell with a vicious elbow to the face.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
21 July 2025
Adjective
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Earlier this month, employees at the Environmental Protection Agency, filed their own letter, with even worse results; 140 of them were placed on administrative leave.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
22 July 2025
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Making the timing of this move even worse, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, the nation’s most high-profile banker, is warning that private credit funds may be heading for a 2008-style crisis.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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Sophie's gun — which was an impulse buy just a few days back — is found and identified as the weapon that killed Abby. Sophie's quest to vindicate herself then leads to the unraveling of dark secrets, sketchy relationships, twisted small-town politics and more.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
People.com,
2 Aug. 2025
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Saturday's clip also clarified that the blue sections of the costume are a darker shade of the color — and more reflective — than earlier versions.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
2 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sinful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sinful. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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