evils

NOUN

badness, immorality; disaster

Synonyms

STRONGEST

calamity catastrophe corruption crime harm hatred ill misery pain sin suffering wrong

STRONG

affliction baseness blow criminality curse debauchery depravity devilry diabolism heinousness hurt impiety indecency infamy iniquity injury knavery lewdness licentiousness looseness malevolence malignity meanness mischief misfortune obscenity outrage perversity ruin sinfulness sorrow turpitude vice viciousness vileness villainy wickedness woe wrongdoing

WEAK

diablerie

Antonyms

STRONGEST

advantage benefit blessing boon cheer comfort fortune good fortune good luck goodness happiness health joy kindness pleasure profit

STRONG

aid benevolence cleanness decency good help innocence modesty morality nobility propriety purity relief uprightness virtue

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Also, I am afraid your columns do not sufficiently extol the value of work, which Voltaire rightly claimed protects us from the evils of boredom, vice, and poverty.

From MarketWatch • May 13, 2026

The most moving passages in the diaries chronicle her life during the 900-day German siege of Leningrad, which subjected those who remained in the city to the evils of both totalitarianisms.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

It encapsulates the well-founded belief that starting a war is likely to create unforeseen evils greater than the evil of the status quo.

From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026

"It comes down to choosing the lesser of two evils."

From Barron's • Dec. 20, 2025

Eventually Massasoit concluded that he possibly should ally with them—compared to the Narragansett, they were the lesser of two evils.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann