Synonyms for Ninth Grade Students: Evil

Learn this list of synonyms for evil.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. abominable
    unequivocally detestable
    There were also abominable creatures haunting the reeds and tussocks that from the sound of them were evil relatives of the cricket. The Fellowship of the Ring
    Abominari is a Latin verb meaning "to detest" or "to shun." The omin in there comes from the same root as omen, so an abomination is something you'd react to like a curse: avoid at any cost.
  2. atrocious
    shockingly brutal or cruel
    More quietly, the Cardinals overhauled an atrocious defense with targeted free agent signings. Washington Post (May 1, 2020)
    The Latin root atroci- means "fierce" or "cruel." In English, the meaning has shifted somewhat towards anything awful or dismaying.
  3. dastardly
    extremely wicked
    It was one of those cartoon monster smiles, where the monster rubs his hands as he thinks of something dastardly. Bodega Dreams
    Dastard is an obsolete English word meaning "a coward" or "an idiot." Dastardly survives, though it has an old-fashioned flavor. It's most often seen modifying words like "deed," "plan," or "scheme."
  4. despicable
    morally reprehensible
    “I despised him. He was a despicable man.” The Poisonwood Bible
    From the Latin despicabilis, "looked down upon," despicable refers to a person or an action that is beneath contempt: evil.
  5. dreadful
    exceptionally bad or displeasing
    The dire wolf—once classified in the genus Aenocyon, meaning “terrible” or “dreadful”—is a much mythologized carnivore known for its imposing size, specialized bone-cracking back teeth, and propensity for preying on large herbivores. National Geographic (Jan 13, 2021)
    Dread is Middle English for mortal terror, or a kind of worship — of a deity or a ruler — based on fear. The fear component is largely gone now, as it is from terrible, but the sense of extreme awfulness remains.
  6. execrable
    unequivocally detestable
    Last week in this column, I asked whether, 20 years after the execrable Phantom Menace was first shown in cinemas, it might be time to forgive George Lucas. The Guardian (May 30, 2019)
    Execrat- is a Latin root meaning "to curse," the opposite of "sacred." To call something execrable is to say that it's hateful, unforgivable, evil.
  7. grim
    shockingly repellent; inspiring horror
    He saw a grim face settle on Mrs. Torrance, and he was certain she was irritated with him. Anger Is a Gift
    A Germanic word, grim denotes darkness, despair, and a bleak outlook. A situation can be grim, and so can an intimidatingly dour person.
  8. horrid
    grossly offensive to decency or morality
    San Antonio overcame a horrid beginning without its coach and then held on without scoring in the final two minutes of a narrow victory over host Charlotte. Reuters (Mar 4, 2020)
    In Latin, horrere means "to shake," "to shudder at," or "to stand on end" like your hair does when you're frightened. It's the root of horror and horrible, which should give you a good sense of what horrid is all about.
  9. maleficent
    harmful or evil in intent or effect
    And because Bluebeard is a dark, maleficent story, I was scared to film it immediately. The Guardian (Jul 15, 2010)
    Latin for "doing evil," maleficent originally referred to an evil deed or spell.
  10. malevolent
    wishing or appearing to wish evil to others
    The red walls looked even more threatening on this overcast day and the expression on the doll-like face of Capricorn’s statue seemed even more malevolent than before, if that were possible. Inkheart
    In Latin, male "evil" plus volentem "wishing" equals someone who wants bad things to happen to others, and acts accordingly.
  11. reprobate
    a person without moral scruples
    But he’s a selfish reprobate who seemingly only competes when there’s money to be made. New York Times (Jul 22, 2010)
    Latin for "rejected," reprobate refers to someone too immoral, depraved, or wicked to live in civilized society.
  12. rotten
    having decayed or disintegrated
    Colton was in a rotten mood, hardly talking, clearly homesick and hating Sing Sing. Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing
    Rotten is Middle Dutch for "to rot," and it can be used to describe spoiled food, a thoroughly unpleasant person, or a grossly unkind act.
  13. vile
    morally reprehensible
    "You are a vile, repulsive, repellent, malicious little brute!" the Trunchbull was shouting. Matilda
    From the Latin vilis, meaning "cheap," "common," or "mean," vile means something worse than that: disgusting, debased, evil.
  14. villainous
    extremely wicked
    He grinned at her, arching an eyebrow villainously, expecting her to laugh and swat at him or punch him in the ribs. When Dimple Met Rishi
    Villain is more often used to describe the bad guy in a movie than a real person, though it can be used in that sense.
  15. wicked
    having committed unrighteous acts
    He was the wicked bully of the village. When the Sea Turned to Silver
    Wicca is Old English for "wizard" — the feminine, wicce, means "witch" — and over time wicked came to describe any cruel or destructive person or action.
Created on Tue Jun 24 12:10:55 EDT 2025

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