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as in unlawful
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable a truly vicious person detested by almost everyone

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective vicious differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of vicious are corrupt, degenerate, iniquitous, nefarious, and villainous. While all these words mean "highly reprehensible or offensive in character, nature, or conduct," vicious may directly oppose virtuous in implying moral depravity, or may connote malignancy, cruelty, or destructive violence.

a vicious gangster

Where would corrupt be a reasonable alternative to vicious?

The synonyms corrupt and vicious are sometimes interchangeable, but corrupt stresses a loss of moral integrity or probity causing betrayal of principle or sworn obligations.

city hall was rife with corrupt politicians

In what contexts can degenerate take the place of vicious?

The words degenerate and vicious can be used in similar contexts, but degenerate suggests having sunk to an especially vicious or enervated condition.

a degenerate regime propped up by foreign powers

When could iniquitous be used to replace vicious?

While in some cases nearly identical to vicious, iniquitous implies absence of all signs of justice or fairness.

an iniquitous system of taxation

When can nefarious be used instead of vicious?

In some situations, the words nefarious and vicious are roughly equivalent. However, nefarious suggests flagrant breaching of time-honored laws and traditions of conduct.

the nefarious rackets of organized crime

When is it sensible to use villainous instead of vicious?

Although the words villainous and vicious have much in common, villainous applies to any evil, depraved, or vile conduct or characteristic.

a villainous assault

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of vicious Is this the start of a vicious cycle or the first step in a national transformation? Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 10 Apr. 2025 Beijing has retaliated with 34% tariffs on all goods imported from the U.S. U.S. equities capped off a vicious week for investors last Friday, with the S&P 500 down 9.08%, according to data from FactSet, as Trump’s moves stoke fears of a global economic slowdown. Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2025 Before the vicious stabbing, the unidentified 45-year-old attacker snuck up behind a 29-year-old woman walking east on Broome St. toward Wooster St., and tossed a green designer water bottle at her, hitting her in the back and breaking the bottle. Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 7 Apr. 2025 Softened by pride, Amber slinks away herself, albeit much more cutely than Gregory and accompanied by a vicious side-eye. Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 3 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vicious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vicious
Adjective
  • The missions became more intense as Japan's outlook grew more dire and the military showcased the sacrifice of the pilots to drum up patriotism and support for the war.
    CBS News, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Her message prompted an intense, impassioned reaction.
    Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • But graduating in 2009 meant stepping into a brutal job market during the Great Recession.
    William Jones, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Andrews adds musical interludes, which don’t always work, and brutal jokes, which do.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The lawsuit will argue that Trump's use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to enact tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China is unlawful.
    Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025
  • The suit will argue that Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which grants the president increased powers during an economic emergency, to impose tariffs is unlawful and requires congressional approval.
    Elaine Mallon, The Washington Examiner, 16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • As savage Arctic cold was getting ready to surge south across North America, vivid imagery based on data from weather models showed us what was going to happen.
    Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 27 Dec. 2022
  • The 2023 grand marshal is former Arizona Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords, gravely wounded in a savage mass shooting in 2011 that also killed six people.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2022
Adjective
  • Time to update: Apple has discovered hackers exploiting an iOS bug via malicious media files.
    Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 16 Apr. 2025
  • These emails might include malicious links designed to install malware or steal login information.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, FOXNews.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • That could include chemical-intensive lab work like testing sea lions, killer whales and walruses from Alaska for environmental contaminants, Tolimieri said.
    Lisa Song, ProPublica, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Class-size mandates effectively compete with other investments, like hiring more mental health professionals or investing in intensive teacher training for the existing workforce.
    New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Everybody else has no choice, really, other than to bring a cruel, narcissistic far-right leader to power.
    Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Jokes that didn’t land with the squad The kids in Bad Influence say the pranks were the most cruel.
    Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • At the time of Vallow's death, Vallow Daybell was espousing the belief that he was possessed by an evil spirit, the prosecution said.
    CBS News, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Last season, there was an episode that featured an evil streaming executive — who dressed like, kind of looked like and whose name even sounded like Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief creative officer and your boss.
    Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Vicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vicious. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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