sinning
Violating moral law
Sinning is engaging in acts considered morally wrong or violations of religious law.
The word carries weight in religious contexts—sinning against God, sinning in thought or deed—but extends to secular transgressions: I know I'm sinning against my diet, but this cake is worth it.
The continuous form often implies ongoing or habitual wrongdoing rather than a single lapse.
Breaking of rules
- trespassUnauthorized entry onto property
- infractionMinor rule breach
- wrongdoingUnethical or illegal action
- misdeedImmoral or illegal act
offense · disobedience · breach · iniquity · lawbreaking · sacrilege · desecration · profanation
Greedy excess in consumption
- greedExcessive desire for wealth
- lustIntense carnal appetite
- envyResentful longing for another's
- slothDisinclination to exert oneself
wrath · avarice · pride · debauchery · hedonism · licentiousness · lechery · profligacy
Attractive, tempting quality
- enticementSomething that attracts
- seductionEnticing someone romantically
- lureThing that tempts
- desireIntense wanting
craving · urge · weakness · flesh · forbidden fruit · serpent · devil · Satan
Eternal punishment decree
- hellUnderworld of suffering
- purgatoryPlace of temporary suffering
- judgmentReasoned decision-making capacity
- perditionEternal spiritual ruin
soul · eternal · fall of man · commandments · scripture · doctrine · mortal · venial
Guilt for wrongdoing
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
- shamePainful awareness of failure
- regretSorrow over past actions
- self-reproachBlaming oneself for wrongdoing
compunction · culpability · self-condemnation · conscience · burden · weight · torment · anguish
Compensation for wrongdoing
- repentanceRemorseful rejection of past wrongs
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
- penanceSelf-mortification for wrongdoing
- absolutionFormal clearing of guilt
forgiveness · salvation · reconciliation · cleansing · purification · grace · mercy · pardon
violation
Breaking of rules
- trespassUnauthorized entry onto property
- infractionMinor rule breach
- wrongdoingUnethical or illegal action
misdeed · offense · disobedience · breach · iniquity · lawbreaking · sacrilege · desecration · profanation · impiety
gluttony
Greedy excess in consumption
sloth · wrath · avarice · pride · debauchery · hedonism · licentiousness · lechery · profligacy · intemperance
allure
Attractive, tempting quality
- enticementSomething that attracts
- seductionEnticing someone romantically
- lureThing that tempts
desire · craving · urge · weakness · flesh · forbidden fruit · serpent · devil · Satan · succumb
damnation
Eternal punishment decree
- hellUnderworld of suffering
- purgatoryPlace of temporary suffering
- judgmentReasoned decision-making capacity
perdition · soul · eternal · fall of man · commandments · scripture · doctrine · mortal · venial · reprobate
remorse
Guilt for wrongdoing
- contritionRemorseful state over misdeeds
- shamePainful awareness of failure
- regretSorrow over past actions
self-reproach · compunction · culpability · self-condemnation · conscience · burden · weight · torment · anguish · conviction
atonement
Compensation for wrongdoing
- repentanceRemorseful rejection of past wrongs
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
- penanceSelf-mortification for wrongdoing
absolution · forgiveness · salvation · reconciliation · cleansing · purification · grace · mercy · pardon · expiation
- at faultguilty, at fault, to blame, culpable, blameworthy
- Going astraywandering, straying, drifting, getting lost, deviating
sinningdoing good
behaving · unoffending · innocent · doing penance · abstaining
sin, sinful, sinner, sins, sinfulness, sinned, sinless, sinners, sinfully