viler ˈvī-lər How to pronounce vile (audio) ; vilest ˈvī-ləst How to pronounce vile (audio)
1
a
: morally despicable or abhorrent
nothing is so vile as intellectual dishonesty
b
: physically repulsive : foul
a vile slum
2
: of little worth or account : common
also : mean
3
: tending to degrade
vile employments
4
: disgustingly or utterly bad : obnoxious, contemptible
vile weather
had a vile temper
vilely adverb
vileness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for vile

base, low, vile mean deserving of contempt because of the absence of higher values.

base stresses the ignoble and may suggest cruelty, treachery, greed, or grossness.

base motives

low may connote crafty cunning, vulgarity, or immorality and regularly implies an outraging of one's sense of decency or propriety.

refused to listen to such low talk

vile, the strongest of these words, tends to suggest disgusting depravity or filth.

a vile remark

Examples of vile in a Sentence

a vile and cowardly act What is that vile odor? His comments were positively vile. She has a vile temper.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Snow White gets a much more meaningful backstory The original Disney film begins with a few short sentences about how Snow White was forced to work as a scullery maid for her vile stepmother, the Queen. Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2025 Newsweek's efforts to politicize the death of these individuals, including the reporter's request to confirm names and locations of death, are vile. Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025 The Oakland Jewish Alliance, a grassroots organization formed in the wake of these vile acts, has reported over 400 incidents of antisemitic graffiti around the Lake Merritt/Lakeshore neighborhoods in a one-year period. Mark Cohen, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2025 After West went on a series of vile antisemitic rants in the fall of 2022, Donda became collateral damage, with families pulling their children out and several teachers leaving. Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vile

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French vil, from Latin vilis

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of vile was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vile. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

vile

adjective
viler ˈvī-lər How to pronounce vile (audio) ; vilest -ləst How to pronounce vile (audio)
1
a
: morally bad
vile deeds
b
: physically ugly
vile living quarters
2
: of little worth
3
: very or completely bad
a vile temper
vile weather
vilely adverb
vileness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on vile

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!