evil
harmful; detrimental: evil laws.
characterized or accompanied by misfortune or suffering; unfortunate; disastrous: to be fallen on evil days.
due to actual or imputed bad conduct or character: an evil reputation.
marked by anger, irritability, irascibility, etc.: He is known for his evil disposition.
that which is evil; evil quality, intention, or conduct: to choose the lesser of two evils.
the force in nature that governs and gives rise to wickedness and sin.
the wicked or immoral part of someone or something: The evil in his nature has destroyed the good.
harm; mischief; misfortune: to wish one evil.
anything causing injury or harm:Tobacco is considered by some to be an evil.
a harmful aspect, effect, or consequence: the evils of alcohol.
a disease, as king's evil.
in an evil manner; badly; ill: It went evil with him.
Idioms about evil
the evil one, the devil; Satan.
Origin of evil
1Other words for evil
Opposites for evil
Other words from evil
- e·vil·ly, adverb
- e·vil·ness, noun
- non·e·vil, adjective
- non·e·vil·ly, adverb
- non·e·vil·ness, noun
- quasi-evil, adjective
- qua·si-e·vil·ly, adverb
- un·e·vil, adjective
- un·e·vil·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use evil in a sentence
Ah Sing, smiling evilly, searched the face of his victim for an expression of fear or pain.
The Argus Pheasant | John Charles BeechamTo evilly disposed men membership in the Klan was an inducement to wrongdoing.
The Modern Ku Klux Klan | Henry Peck FryHe seemed now to have but two objects in life, to be possessed of two burning desires which dwelt in him evilly like demons.
Court Beauties of Old Whitehall | W. R. H. TrowbridgeNewt's eyes blazed evilly at the words, but he only clamped his mouth tighter.
The Code of the Mountains | Charles Neville BuckIt became bloated with a poisonous wrath, his eyes gleamed evilly and his muscles tensed.
'Drag' Harlan | Charles Alden Seltzer
British Dictionary definitions for evil
/ (ˈiːvəl) /
morally wrong or bad; wicked: an evil ruler
causing harm or injury; harmful: an evil plan
marked or accompanied by misfortune; unlucky: an evil fate
(of temper, disposition, etc) characterized by anger or spite
not in high esteem; infamous: an evil reputation
offensive or unpleasant: an evil smell
slang good; excellent
the quality or an instance of being morally wrong; wickedness: the evils of war
(sometimes capital) a force or power that brings about wickedness or harm: evil is strong in the world
archaic an illness or disease, esp scrofula (the king's evil)
(now usually in combination) in an evil manner; badly: evil-smelling
Origin of evil
1Derived forms of evil
- evilly, adverb
- evilness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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