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
  • Advertisement Both Paxton’s baggage and his history of using his office to troll Democrats is a central feature in the Republican primary, which has devolved into a barrage of personal attacks of betrayal, adultery, and corruption.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Nearly four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine was up one point at 36 after an energy sector corruption scandal forced high-level resignations.
    Geir Moulson, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • If your goal is to get at the truth, or at least our closest approximation of it at the present time, the way to do that is to be scrupulous and forthright about the strengths and weaknesses of every link in your chain of argument.
    Big Think, Big Think, 10 Feb. 2026
  • This can raise resting heart rate, increase weakness and fatigue, and reduce endurance—even during everyday activities, not just exercise.
    Katharine Gammon, Time, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • An analysis of the files suggests Wolfe spoke with Epstein multiple times between 2009 and 2014, after the financier’s conviction for solicitation of prostitution from a girl below age 18 in June 2008.
    Dan Vergano, Scientific American, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Epstein served jail time, having been convicted in 2008 of soliciting a minor for prostitution, although the true scale of his crimes did not start to emerge until 2015.
    Nick Duffy, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • But does exchanging flirty messages with Ghislaine Maxwell while he was married three years before Jeffrey Epstein was first publicly accused of wrongdoing in 2006 really constitute a career-ending sin?
    James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Easter is the Christian celebration of Jesus Christ's victory over sin and death through his resurrection.
    Chris Sims, IndyStar, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • When a vehicle loses power, however, electronic doors go from an inconvenience to a potentially lethal design fault.
    Adam Ismail, The Drive, 5 Feb. 2026
  • When the tectonic plates began to pull apart millions of years later, those ancient faults at their edges reawakened, reincarnated as transform faults.
    Evan Howell, Scientific American, 4 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Also, according to ancient Norse lore, evil and turmoil were brought to the world by the mischievous god Loki, the 13th guest at a dinner party in Valhalla.
    Bailey Allen, Cape Cod Times, 13 Feb. 2026
  • As far as true evil goes, that's not much of a crime at all.
    Megan McCluskey, Time, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Veterans have often been some of the harshest (and most clear-eyed) analysts of the military’s shortcomings.
    Missy Ryan, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026
  • Super’s plan to turn the company around seeks to address long-standing shortcomings and identifies some more ambitious opportunities.
    Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 7 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • This approach can be applied to any behavior, including crime and immorality.
    Christopher M. Filley, The Conversation, 3 Feb. 2026
  • One celebrates the beauty and moral uplift of the Sabbath; the other denounces the immorality of the godless in the fiery manner of a tent-revival preacher.
    Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 22 Dec. 2025
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 15 Feb. 2026.

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