WORD LISTSEvilTue Jun 24 12:10:55 EDT 2025
By Vocabulary.com (NY)
 Learn this list of synonyms for evil.
  
abominable
Abominari is a Latin verb meaning "to detest" or "to shun." The omin in there comes from the same root as omen, so an abomination is something you'd react to like a curse: avoid at any cost.
There were also abominable creatures haunting the reeds and tussocks that from the sound of them were evil relatives of the cricket.
atrocious
The Latin root atroci- means "fierce" or "cruel." In English, the meaning has shifted somewhat towards anything awful or dismaying.
More quietly, the Cardinals overhauled an atrocious defense with targeted free agent signings.
dastardly
Dastard is an obsolete English word meaning "a coward" or "an idiot." Dastardly survives, though it has an old-fashioned flavor. It's most often seen modifying words like "deed," "plan," or "scheme."
It was one of those cartoon monster smiles, where the monster rubs his hands as he thinks of something dastardly.
despicable
From the Latin despicabilis, "looked down upon," despicable refers to a person or an action that is beneath contempt: evil.
“I despised him. He was a despicable man.”
dreadful
Dread is Middle English for mortal terror, or a kind of worship — of a deity or a ruler — based on fear. The fear component is largely gone now, as it is from terrible, but the sense of extreme awfulness remains.
The dire wolf—once classified in the genus Aenocyon, meaning “terrible” or “dreadful”—is a much mythologized carnivore known for its imposing size, specialized bone-cracking back teeth, and propensity for preying on large herbivores.
execrable
Execrat- is a Latin root meaning "to curse," the opposite of "sacred." To call something execrable is to say that it's hateful, unforgivable, evil.
Last week in this column, I asked whether, 20 years after the execrable Phantom Menace was first shown in cinemas, it might be time to forgive George Lucas.
grim
A Germanic word, grim denotes darkness, despair, and a bleak outlook. A situation can be grim, and so can an intimidatingly dour person.
He saw a grim face settle on Mrs. Torrance, and he was certain she was irritated with him.
horrid
In Latin, horrere means "to shake," "to shudder at," or "to stand on end" like your hair does when you're frightened. It's the root of horror and horrible, which should give you a good sense of what horrid is all about.
San Antonio overcame a horrid beginning without its coach and then held on without scoring in the final two minutes of a narrow victory over host Charlotte.
maleficent
Latin for "doing evil," maleficent originally referred to an evil deed or spell.
And because Bluebeard is a dark, maleficent story, I was scared to film it immediately.
malevolent
In Latin, male "evil" plus volentem "wishing" equals someone who wants bad things to happen to others, and acts accordingly.
The red walls looked even more threatening on this overcast day and the expression on the doll-like face of Capricorn’s statue seemed even more malevolent than before, if that were possible.
reprobate
Latin for "rejected," reprobate refers to someone too immoral, depraved, or wicked to live in civilized society.
But he’s a selfish reprobate who seemingly only competes when there’s money to be made.
rotten
Rotten is Middle Dutch for "to rot," and it can be used to describe spoiled food, a thoroughly unpleasant person, or a grossly unkind act.
Colton was in a rotten mood, hardly talking, clearly homesick and hating Sing Sing.
vile
From the Latin vilis, meaning "cheap," "common," or "mean," vile means something worse than that: disgusting, debased, evil.
"You are a vile, repulsive, repellent, malicious little brute!" the Trunchbull was shouting.
villainous
Villain is more often used to describe the bad guy in a movie than a real person, though it can be used in that sense.
He grinned at her, arching an eyebrow villainously, expecting her to laugh and swat at him or punch him in the ribs.
wicked
Wicca is Old English for "wizard" — the feminine, wicce, means "witch" — and over time wicked came to describe any cruel or destructive person or action.
He was the wicked bully of the village.
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