evil
Opposite of good
Evil is profound immorality or wickedness—the opposite of good in its deepest moral sense.
Evil describes acts, people, or forces that cause serious harm or suffering: an evil dictator, the evil of slavery.
In religious contexts, evil is a cosmic force opposed to God or goodness.
Informally, evil can describe something unpleasant or harmful: an evil smell, an evil hangover.
As a noun, evil is wrongdoing or harm itself: the struggle between good and evil, a necessary evil.
Profound moral corruption
- wickednessMoral corruption or evil
- iniquityMoral wrongdoing, grave injustice
- viceBad habit or deputy
- sinViolation of divine law
corruption · perversion · degeneracy · amorality · decadence · profligacy · licentiousness · turpitude
Intent to cause harm
- spitePetty malicious intent
- crueltyDeliberate harm-causing disposition
- hatredIntense hostile aversion
- wickednessMoral corruption or evil
viciousness · hostility · animosity · vindictiveness · enmity · ill-will · rancor · bitterness
Wicked story antagonist
- mastermindScheme's chief planner
- tyrantCruel, absolute ruler
- fiendCruel person or enthusiast
- nemesisPersistent source of ruin
archenemy · henchman · scheme · plot · conspiracy · nefarious · diabolical · megalomaniac
Malevolent supernatural being
- devilEvil supernatural entity
- SatanJudeo-Christian arch-enemy of God
- possessionState of owning
- occultConcealed from view
witchcraft · sorcery · necromancy · curse · hex · satanic · unholy · profane
Satisfactory in quality
- lightVisible electromagnetic radiation
- darknessTotal absence of light
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
- struggleLabored effort against resistance
cosmic · primordial · Manichean · dichotomy · polarity · opposition · forces · eternal
Fearful anticipation of harm
- menacingConveying threat or danger
- sinisterThreateningly suggestive of harm
- threateningExpressing intent to harm
- darkAbsence of light
shadowy · grim · dire · doom · dread · malign · baleful · portentous
Corrupt payment for influence
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- extortionObtaining through threats
- graftIllicit political gain
nepotism · cronyism · racketeering · exploitation · manipulation · deceit · profiteering · misconduct
depravity
Profound moral corruption
- wickednessMoral corruption or evil
- iniquityMoral wrongdoing, grave injustice
- viceBad habit or deputy
sin · corruption · perversion · degeneracy · amorality · decadence · profligacy · licentiousness · turpitude · baseness
malice
Intent to cause harm
wickedness · viciousness · hostility · animosity · vindictiveness · enmity · ill-will · rancor · bitterness · resentment
villain
Wicked story antagonist
- mastermindScheme's chief planner
- tyrantCruel, absolute ruler
- fiendCruel person or enthusiast
nemesis · archenemy · henchman · scheme · plot · conspiracy · nefarious · diabolical · megalomaniac · domination
demon
Malevolent supernatural being
- devilEvil supernatural entity
- SatanJudeo-Christian arch-enemy of God
- possessionState of owning
occult · witchcraft · sorcery · necromancy · curse · hex · satanic · unholy · profane · blasphemy
good
Satisfactory in quality
- lightVisible electromagnetic radiation
- darknessTotal absence of light
- balanceSteadiness or amount owed
struggle · cosmic · primordial · Manichean · dichotomy · polarity · opposition · forces · eternal · triumph
foreboding
Fearful anticipation of harm
- menacingConveying threat or danger
- sinisterThreateningly suggestive of harm
- threateningExpressing intent to harm
dark · shadowy · grim · dire · doom · dread · malign · baleful · portentous · brooding
bribery
Corrupt payment for influence
- embezzlementFraudulent taking of entrusted assets
- fraudIntentional criminal trickery
- extortionObtaining through threats
graft · nepotism · cronyism · racketeering · exploitation · manipulation · deceit · profiteering · misconduct · scandal
- moralitymoral, moral values, immoral, moral principles, moral code
- abstract conceptsparadox, emotions, justice, truth, beauty
- horrorhorror, terror, fear, dread, haunted
- wrongdoingmisconduct, crime, sabotage, crimes, misbehavior
- dangersdanger, peril, hazard, risk, menace
- dark sideinner demons, shadow self, dark thoughts, inner demon, secret self
evilbenevolent
Desiring others' welfare
benign · beneficial · kind · compassionate · charitable
- necessary evilHarmful thing reluctantly permitted
- evil twinMorally inverted lookalike
- evil stepmotherHostile second wife to father
- pure evilTotal moral corruption
- evil geniusWicked yet brilliant schemer
- good versus evilCore ethical dichotomy
devilish, evils, evilness, deviling, evildoer, evilly, evilest, evildoing, devilishly