heinousness
Quality of evil
Heinousness is the quality of being shockingly evil, wicked, or morally reprehensible.
The word carries strong condemnation and is typically reserved for acts considered utterly vile—crimes like murder, torture, or genocide.
Legal contexts often invoke heinousness as an aggravating factor in sentencing: The heinousness of the crime warranted the maximum penalty.
The term implies not just wrongdoing but a degree of depravity that offends basic human decency.
Moral corruption or evil
- evilProfound moral wickedness
- depravityProfound moral corruption
- iniquityMoral wrongdoing, grave injustice
- villainyCriminal or evil behavior
nefariousness · malevolence · corruption · immorality · turpitude · sinfulness · baseness · viciousness
Appallingly, shockingly wicked
- abominableExtremely hateful or disgusting
- monstrousFrighteningly huge or wicked
- vileExtremely unpleasant or bad
- odiousExtremely unpleasant, repellent
detestable · despicable · egregious · flagrant · grievous · unspeakable · unforgivable · inexcusable
Intense physical disgust
- disgustIntense physical aversion
- horrorExtreme fear or disgust
- abhorrenceExtreme hatred or disgust
- loathingIntense, settled disgust
repugnance · outrage · shock · condemnation · denunciation · repulsion · detestation · execration
wickedness
Moral corruption or evil
- evilProfound moral wickedness
- depravityProfound moral corruption
- iniquityMoral wrongdoing, grave injustice
villainy · nefariousness · malevolence · corruption · immorality · turpitude · sinfulness · baseness · viciousness · malice
atrocious
Appallingly, shockingly wicked
- abominableExtremely hateful or disgusting
- monstrousFrighteningly huge or wicked
- vileExtremely unpleasant or bad
odious · detestable · despicable · egregious · flagrant · grievous · unspeakable · unforgivable · inexcusable · reprehensible
revulsion
Intense physical disgust
- disgustIntense physical aversion
- horrorExtreme fear or disgust
- abhorrenceExtreme hatred or disgust
loathing · repugnance · outrage · shock · condemnation · denunciation · repulsion · detestation · execration · opprobrium
heinousnessvirtuousness
Moral goodness of character
righteousness · goodness · benevolence · saintliness · nobility
heinousnessharmlessness
Inability to cause damage
triviality · blamelessness · pettiness · misdemeanor · innocuousness