rotten to the core
Evil throughout entirely
Rotten to the core describes something corrupt or morally bankrupt throughout, not just superficially flawed.
The image is of fruit that looks passable outside but is decayed at its center—the rot has spread completely.
Applied to people, institutions, or systems: The whole department was rotten to the core.
Often implies the corruption is beyond repair.
- taintedContaminated, made impure
- depravedMorally corrupt, perverse
- turpitudeInherent wickedness or vileness
- moral bankruptcyUtter lack of principles
- rotOrganic breakdown process
beyond redemption · foul · incorrigibility · lost cause · corrupt · crooked politician · bad apple · black sheep · mold · malevolence · malfeasance · evil · spoil · treachery · perniciousness · unfixable · duplicity · decayed
rotten to the corepure of heart
incorruptible · righteous · saintly · noble · honorable
rotten to the coreuntainted
Free from contamination
uncorrupted · unblemished · pristine · unspoiled · pure