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WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026e•vil /ˈivəl/USA pronunciation
adj.
- morally wrong or bad;
immoral;
wicked: He led an evil life.
- harmful;
injurious: evil pranks.
n.
- [countable] something evil;
evil quality, intention, or conduct: the lesser of two evils.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026e•vil
(ē′vəl),USA pronunciation adj.
- morally wrong or bad;
immoral;
wicked:evil deeds; an evil life.
- harmful;
injurious: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.
- Idioms the evil one, the devil;
Satan.
n.
- 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.
adv.
- in an evil manner;
badly;
ill:It went evil with him.
- bef. 900; Middle English evel, evil, Old English yfel; cognate with Gothic ubils, Old High German ubil, German übel, Old Frisian, Middle Dutch evel
1. sinful, iniquitous, depraved, vicious, corrupt, base, vile, nefarious. See bad1. 2. pernicious, destructive. 7. wickedness, depravity, iniquity, unrighteousness, corruption, baseness. 10. disaster, calamity, woe, misery, suffering, sorrow.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
evil /ˈiːvəl/ adj - 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
n - 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)
adv - (now usually in combination) in an evil manner; badly: evil-smelling
Etymology: Old English yfel, of Germanic origin; compare Old Frisian evel, Old High German ubil evil, Old Irish adbal excessiveˈevilly adv ˈevilness n
'evil' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
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