eviler or eviller; evilest or evillest
1
2
a
archaic
: inferior
b
: causing discomfort or repulsion : offensive
an evil odor
c
: disagreeable
woke late and in an evil temper
3
a
: causing harm : pernicious
the evil institution of slavery
b
: marked by misfortune : unlucky
1
a
: the fact of suffering, misfortune, and wrongdoing
b
: a cosmic evil force
2
: something that brings sorrow, distress, or calamity
archaic
: in an evil manner
Synonyms
Examples of evil in a Sentence
Adjective
She drank an evil potion.
The city has fallen on evil days.
It was an evil omen.
Noun
the battle of good versus evil
our free will allows us to choose between good and evil
Recent Examples on the Web
Madeline Heim, Journal Sentinel, 31 Oct. 2024
Watch on Amazon Prime Marianne A famous horror writer is lured back to her hometown by the death of a childhood friend and must take on an evil spirit who has been haunting her nightmares for years.
—Simon Hill, WIRED, 31 Oct. 2024
Declan Gallagher and Chris Bellamy, EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
Also found were overlapping Vs — known as Marian marks as they’re believed by some to be a call for protection from the Virgin Mary — and a pentangle that was used to protect against evil.
—Lianne Kolirin, CNN, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for evil 
Adjective
Bats' connection to Halloween dates back to Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival where large bonfires were built to ward off evil spirits.
—Madeline Heim, Journal Sentinel, 31 Oct. 2024
Watch on Amazon Prime Marianne A famous horror writer is lured back to her hometown by the death of a childhood friend and must take on an evil spirit who has been haunting her nightmares for years.
—Simon Hill, WIRED, 31 Oct. 2024
Noun
After years of attempts to rid her body of this presumptive evil, authorization to perform an exorcism was granted.
—Declan Gallagher and Chris Bellamy, EW.com, 31 Oct. 2024
Also found were overlapping Vs — known as Marian marks as they’re believed by some to be a call for protection from the Virgin Mary — and a pentangle that was used to protect against evil.
—Lianne Kolirin, CNN, 29 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for evil
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'evil.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near evil
Cite this Entry
“Evil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/evil. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
evil
2 of 2 noun1
: something that brings sorrow, trouble, or destruction
2
: the fact of suffering or wrongdoing
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