Meaning & use

evil

noun·Academic

Profound immorality or wickedness, especially as shown through cruel or harmful actions.

See it in a sentence

The novel explores how ordinary people can be drawn into committing evil.

Many world religions teach that good ultimately triumphs over evil in the end.

A note on using this word

Evil functions both as a noun for wrongdoing itself and as an adjective describing a wicked person or act.

Words with a similar meaning

wickednessmalice

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

goodvirtue

Another way to use it

2. adjective

Profoundly immoral, wicked, or intending to cause great harm.

The villain's evil plan threatened to destroy the entire village.

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