evil

adjective
UK: /ˈiːvl̩/
US: /ˈiːvl̩/

  1. Morally bad or wicked; causing harm or injury.

    1. He is an evil man, full of hate and anger. [ ] [ ]
    2. The evil sorcerer cast a dark spell upon the innocent villagers, bringing despair. [ ] [ ]

  2. Extremely unpleasant or bad.

    1. That was an evil thing to do to your friend. [ ] [ ]
    2. The evil weather prevented us from having our planned picnic at the beach. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

wicked sinful bad wrongdoing immoral malice vile
evil noun

  1. Profound immorality, wickedness, and depravity, especially when regarded as a supernatural force.

    1. Evil is a force that we must all fight against. [ ] [ ]
    2. The ancient book warned of an unspeakable evil lurking in the shadows of the forest. [ ] [ ]

  2. Something that causes suffering, harm, or destruction.

    1. Poverty is a great evil in many parts of the world. [ ] [ ]
    2. The politician pledged to eradicate the evils of corruption and social injustice. [ ] [ ]
evil adverb

  1. In a wicked or malevolent manner.

    1. The villain laughed evil as he tied her to the rails. [ ] [ ]
    2. The shadow moved evil across the floor, indicating someone unwanted present. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "evil" in English means: Morally bad or wicked; causing harm or injury., Extremely unpleasant or bad..

The phonetic transcription of "evil" is /ˈiːvl̩/ in British English and /ˈiːvl̩/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "evil": wicked, sinful, bad, wrongdoing, immoral, malice, vile.

Example usage of "evil": "He is an evil man, full of hate and anger.". More examples on the page.