evil

[ ee-vuhl ]

adjective

1. morally wrong or bad; immoral; wicked:

   evil deeds;

   an evil life.

   Synonyms: nefarious, vile, base, corrupt, vicious, depraved, iniquitous, sinful

   Antonyms: righteous

2. harmful; detrimental:

   evil laws.

   Synonyms: destructive, pernicious

3. characterized or accompanied by misfortune or suffering; unfortunate; disastrous:

   to be fallen on evil days.

4. due to actual or imputed bad conduct or character:

   an evil reputation.

5. marked by anger, irritability, irascibility, etc.:

   He is known for his evil disposition.

noun

1. that which is evil; evil quality, intention, or conduct:

   to choose the lesser of two evils.

   Synonyms: baseness, unrighteousness, corruption, iniquity, depravity, wickedness

2. the force in nature that governs and gives rise to wickedness and sin.
3. the wicked or immoral part of someone or something:

   The evil in his nature has destroyed the good.

4. harm; mischief; misfortune:

   to wish one evil.

   Synonyms: sorrow, suffering, misery, woe, calamity, disaster

5. anything causing injury or harm:

   Tobacco is considered by some to be an evil.

6. a harmful aspect, effect, or consequence:

   the evils of alcohol.

7. a disease, as king's evil.

adverb

1. in an evil manner; badly; ill:

   It went evil with him.

evil

/ ˈiːvəl /

adjective

1. morally wrong or bad; wicked

   an evil ruler

2. causing harm or injury; harmful

   an evil plan

3. marked or accompanied by misfortune; unlucky

   an evil fate

4. (of temper, disposition, etc) characterized by anger or spite
5. not in high esteem; infamous

   an evil reputation

6. offensive or unpleasant

   an evil smell

7. slang.
   good; excellent

noun

1. the quality or an instance of being morally wrong; wickedness

   the evils of war

2. sometimes capital a force or power that brings about wickedness or harm

   evil is strong in the world

3. archaic.
   an illness or disease, esp scrofula (the king's evil )

adverb

1. now usually in combination in an evil manner; badly

   evil-smelling

Derived Forms

• ˈevilly, adverb
• ˈevilness, noun

Other Words From

• evil·ly adverb
• evil·ness noun
• non·evil adjective
• non·evil·ly adverb
• non·evil·ness noun
• quasi-evil adjective
• quasi-evil·ly adverb
• un·evil adjective
• un·evil·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of evil¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English evel, evil, Old English yfel; cognate with Gothic ubils, Old High German ubil, German übel, Old Frisian, Middle Dutch evel

Word History and Origins

Origin of evil¹

Old English yfel, of Germanic origin; compare Old Frisian evel, Old High German ubil evil, Old Irish adbal excessive

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. the evil one, the devil; Satan.

Example Sentences

There comes a point in “Conclave” where all hope is lost and a recurring refrain counsels the acceptance of a lesser evil.

From Salon

“We still suffer from the evils of sexism in such a real way.”

From Los Angeles Times

There's a widespread myth out there that dictators know how to "get stuff done," which authoritarians use to persuade people they are a necessary evil.

From Salon

President Isaac Herzog called it "a dark day for justice and humanity", saying the decision had "chosen the side of terror and evil over democracy and freedom".

From BBC

“The decision has chosen the side of terror and evil over democracy and freedom, and turned the very system of justice into a human shield for Hamas’ crimes against humanity,” he added.

From BBC

Related Words

• calamity
• catastrophe
• corruption
• crime
• harm
• hatred
• ill
• misery
• pain
• sin
• suffering
• wrong

When To Use

What are other ways to say evil?

A person or thing that is evil is morally wrong. How does evil differ from bad, wicked, and ill? Find out on Thesaurus.com.