wicked

[ wik-id ]

adjective

, wick·ed·er, wick·ed·est.

1. evil or morally bad in principle or practice; sinful; iniquitous:

   wicked people;

   wicked habits.

   Synonyms: villainous, infamous, heinous, dissolute, depraved, corrupt, profligate, immoral, blasphemous, profane, impious, godless, ungodly, unrighteous

   Antonyms: virtuous, good

2. mischievous or playfully malicious:

   These wicked kittens upset everything.

3. distressingly severe, as a storm, wound, or cold:

   a wicked winter.

4. passing reasonable bounds; intolerably bad:

   wicked prices;

   a wicked exam.

5. having a bad disposition; ill-natured; mean:

   a wicked horse.

6. spiteful; malevolent; vicious:

   a wicked tongue.

7. extremely troublesome or dangerous:

   wicked roads.

8. unpleasant; foul:

   a wicked odor.

9. Slang. wonderful; great; masterful; deeply satisfying:

   He blows a wicked trumpet.

adverb

1. Slang. very; really; totally:

   That shirt is wicked cool.

wicked

/ ˈwɪkɪd /

adjective

1. 1. morally bad in principle or practice
   2. ( as collective noun; preceded by the )

      the wicked

2. mischievous or roguish, esp in a playful way

   a wicked grin

3. causing injury or harm
4. troublesome, unpleasant, or offensive
5. slang.
   very good

Derived Forms

• ˈwickedness, noun
• ˈwickedly, adverb

Other Words From

• wick·ed·ly adverb
• qua·si-wick·ed adjective
• qua·si-wick·ed·ly adverb
• un·wick·ed adjective
• un·wick·ed·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of wicked¹

First recorded in 1225–75; Middle English wikked, equivalent to wikke “bad” (representing adjective use of Old English wicca “wizard”; witch ) + -ed -ed ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of wicked¹

C13: from dialect wick, from Old English wicca sorcerer, wicce witch ¹

Example Sentences

Two women have been jailed for their part in a monkey torture ring and behaviour described by the judge as "depraved, sickening and wicked".

From BBC

Using the imagery of crusades, he assailed “the late unholy war with the Indians” and the “wicked crusade against the peace of Mexico” during the 1830s.

From Salon

It was a wicked and wild wind, blew down the doors to let him in.

From Los Angeles Times

"If you isolate people and make the outside world seem to be wicked and bad and damaging, they’ve got nowhere else to turn other than the group and that locks them in."

From BBC

It is based on a 1995 novel of the same name, which retells the story of “The Wizard of Oz” in a revisionist light, with the wicked witch as the main character.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• devilish
• evil
• impish
• mischievous
• nasty
• naughty
• vicious
• villainous
• wayward

When To Use

What are other ways to say wicked?

Someone or something wicked is morally bad in principle or practice. But calling someone or something wicked isn’t quite the same as calling them bad, evil, or ill. Find out why on Thesaurus.com.