vice

Definition of vicenext
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as in prostitution
the practice of engaging in sexual activities for money a seedy section of the city where vice is rampant and very much out in the open

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun vice contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of vice are crime, offense, scandal, and sin. While all these words mean "a transgression of law," vice applies to a habit or practice that degrades or corrupts.

regarded gambling as a vice

When would crime be a good substitute for vice?

The meanings of crime and vice largely overlap; however, crime implies a serious offense punishable by the law of the state.

the crime of murder

When is it sensible to use offense instead of vice?

While in some cases nearly identical to vice, offense applies to the infraction of any law, rule, or code.

at that school no offense went unpunished

When could scandal be used to replace vice?

The words scandal and vice can be used in similar contexts, but scandal applies to an offense that outrages the public conscience.

a career ruined by a sex scandal

In what contexts can sin take the place of vice?

In some situations, the words sin and vice are roughly equivalent. However, sin implies an offense against moral or religious law.

the sin of blasphemy

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for vice
Noun
  • The Criminal Division will not allow foreign actors to exploit the American financial system and use it as a safe haven for the proceeds of their corruption.
    Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2026
  • The vote on March 22 was marred by allegations of foreign influence and corruption.
    ABC News, ABC News, 19 May 2026
Noun
  • Rippling was also built with a stronger emphasis on operational infrastructure and compliance, according to Conrad, who has said that one of the weaknesses at Zenefits was that a lot was done manually behind the scenes.
    Ellen Sheng, CNBC, 19 May 2026
  • Brunson’s defense and the lack of rim protection from Towns remain weaknesses, but nobody has come close to exploiting them so far.
    Tony Jones, New York Times, 18 May 2026
Noun
  • Prosecutors allege Eichorn, who represented District 6 before resigning in March 2025, responded to an online prostitution ad that was part of a sting by Bloomington police and other law enforcement.
    Frankie McLister, CBS News, 14 May 2026
  • The report details allegations of rape, child prostitution, forced labor and trafficking linked to mining camps throughout the Amazon.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • Her chief lieutenants in this operation are Bronco (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Sid (Henry Cavill), who specialize in intimidation, surveillance, bribery, and other assorted sins.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 15 May 2026
  • First-time filmmakers can usually be forgiven some of these sins, only most viewers might not realize that this is Luna’s fifth go in the director’s chair.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • New research points to a mechanism within the Cascadia fault that could be accelerating a break.
    Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 14 May 2026
  • That opacity serves a clear purpose, but Martelli is enamored by it to a fault, and Inés’ refusal to question the people around her or make any significant decisions beyond keeping her mouth shut eventually proves more trying than helpful.
    David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • Why something with the punch of classical tragedy — love destroyed from within by an inexplicable streak of evil — had to be so over-egged is baffling.
    Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 15 May 2026
  • East of Eden also features Cathy — 2026’s second evil-ish Cathy — who is played by Florence Pugh in the miniseries and has some of the novel’s best scenes and lines.
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • Duren has been aware of his shortcomings over the last two seasons.
    Hunter Patterson, New York Times, 18 May 2026
  • However, the system had its shortcomings.
    David Szondy May 17, New Atlas, 17 May 2026
Noun
  • Following this tendency might finally cure us not only of indigestion but also the ancient immorality of eating other organisms.
    Big Think, Big Think, 22 Apr. 2026
  • Consider this evilmeister’s brazen acts of treason and revenge, unbounded deceit, swinish immorality and negative role modeling.
    Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2026
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Vice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vice. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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