evil
morally objectionable behavior
How often you will meet it
Rank 852 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 21,515 times across 175,113 chapters — 0.010% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 1,000 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
noun
- morally objectionable behavior also: immorality, wickedness, iniquity
- that which causes harm or destruction or misfortune the evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones
- the quality of being morally wrong in principle or practice also: evilness attempts to explain the origin of evil in the world
adjective
- morally bad or wrong evil purposesan evil influence
- having the nature of vice also: vicious
- having or exerting a malignant influence also: malefic, malevolent, malign malevolent starsa malefic force
evil in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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Just for a moment I had a premonition of approaching evil.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles · Agatha Christie · Chapter 1
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Bini Aru had used this secret many times, but not to cause evil or suffering to others.
The Magic of Oz · L. Frank (Lyman Frank) Baum · Chapter 1
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From this time she never lost a minute, concealing her work as if it were an evil act.
Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1
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For a minute Teddy glared like a devil in the moonlight, and an awful evil expression fairly flooded his face.
The Torch and Other Tales · Eden Phillpotts · Chapter 1
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At such moments they drew away from her, for she was like a little monster ruled by the evil sprit within her.
The Dream · Émile Zola · Chapter 1