What Is the Difference Between vicious, villainous, and nefarious?
Nefarious comes from the Latin adjective nefarius and the Latin noun nefas, which means "crime." Nefas is a combination of ne- ("not") and fas, meaning "right" or "divine law."
vicious may directly oppose virtuous in implying moral depravity, or may connote malignancy, cruelty, or destructive violence.
a vicious gangster
villainous applies to any evil, depraved, or vile conduct or characteristic.
a villainous assault
iniquitous implies absence of all signs of justice or fairness.
an iniquitous system of taxation
nefarious suggests flagrant breaching of time-honored laws and traditions of conduct.
the nefarious rackets of organized crime
corrupt stresses a loss of moral integrity or probity causing betrayal of principle or sworn obligations.
city hall was rife with corrupt politicians
degenerate suggests having sunk to an especially vicious or enervated condition.
a degenerate regime propped up by foreign powers
Examples of nefarious in a Sentence
Moreover, those starry-eyed states inclined to perceive international relations in moral terms frequently underestimate the nefarious machinations of their competitors on the world political stage.—Richard Wolin, New Republic, 4 June 2001… I always give the same response: Just because Frank posed for pictures with every leading capo, underboss and cement contractor of the day doesn't mean that he joined them in their nefarious underworld activities. Oh, occasionally he rode along on a hit or two, but that was just one of those social obligations …—Lewis Grossberger, Time, 21 Dec. 1998Three-tenths of a mile uphill from our mailbox on the road, that bend is so nefarious that neophytes often skidded into a snowbank or wound up fender-deep in mud there.—Maxine Kumin, In Deep, 1987
a nefarious scheme to cheat people out of their money
the chaste heroines and nefarious villains of old-time melodramas
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Upon agreeing to the experimental procedure, the couple learns just how nefarious the deal really is.—Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 14 June 2025 How Predators May Be Exploiting This Trend These videos may also unknowingly exposing young girls to predators or adults with nefarious intentions.—Sherri Gordon, Parents, 14 June 2025 So while Oyun-Erdene’s demise was likely rooted in factional bickering rather than a nefarious power grab, the debacle contains a stark warning that Mongolia’s political class needs to start pulling in the same direction for cherished freedoms to be secured.—Charlie Campbell, Time, 13 June 2025 In Season 2, Moss joins the cast of FUBAR as Greta, Luke’s old flame and adversary who is at the center of a nefarious plot that will plunge the U.S. — and ultimately, the world — into chaos.—Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for nefarious
Word History
Etymology
Latin nefarius, from nefas crime, from ne- not + fas right, divine law; perhaps akin to Greek themis law, tithenai to place — more at do
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