Synonyms for vicious
ˈvɪʃ əsvi·cious

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:2.3 / 3 votes

1. vicious

   Every criminal act is illegal or unlawful, but illegal or unlawful acts may not be criminal. Offenses against public law are criminal; offenses against private rights are merely illegal or unlawful. As a general rule, all acts punishable by fine or imprisonment or both, are criminal in view of the law. It is illegal for a man to trespass on another's land, but it is not criminal; the trespasser is liable to a civil suit for damages, but not to indictment, fine, or imprisonment. A felonious act is a criminal act of an aggravated kind, which is punishable by imprisonment in the penitentiary or by death. A flagitious crime is one that brings public odium. Vicious refers to the indulgence of evil appetites, habits, or passions; vicious acts are not necessarily criminal, or even illegal; we speak of a vicious horse. That which is iniquitous, i. e., contrary to equity, may sometimes be done under the forms of law. Ingratitude is sinful, hypocrisy is wicked, but neither is punishable by human law; hence, neither is criminal or illegal. Compare SIN.

   Synonyms:
   abominable, criminal, culpable, felonious, flagitious, guilty, illegal, immoral, iniquitous, nefarious, sinful, unlawful, vile, wicked, wrong

   Antonyms:
   innocent, just, lawful, legal, meritorious, moral, right, virtuous

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. vicious

   Synonyms:
   corrupt, faulty, defective, bad, morbid, peccant, debased, profligate, unruly, impure, depraved

   Antonyms:
   pure, sound, perfect, virtuous, healthy

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:4.4 / 5 votes

1. barbarous, brutal, cruel, fell, roughshod, savage, viciousadjective

   (of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering

   "a barbarous crime"; "brutal beatings"; "cruel tortures"; "Stalin's roughshod treatment of the kulaks"; "a savage slap"; "vicious kicks"

   Synonyms:
   wild, uncivilized, fierce, savage, deplorable, reprehensible, fell, beastly, unrelenting, venomous, criminal, brute(a), condemnable, roughshod, barbaric, evil, feral, cruel, poisonous, barbarous, furious, ferocious, barbarian, heavy-handed, brutish, bestial, brutal, ferine, uncivilised

   Antonyms:
   unmalicious, humane, right, virtuous

2. evil, viciousadjective

   having the nature of vice

   Synonyms:
   malefic, savage, deplorable, reprehensible, fell, venomous, criminal, evil, condemnable, roughshod, malign, malevolent, cruel, barbarous, poisonous, brutal

   Antonyms:
   humane, right, virtuous, unmalicious

3. condemnable, criminal, deplorable, reprehensible, viciousadjective

   bringing or deserving severe rebuke or censure

   "a criminal waste of talent"; "a deplorable act of violence"; "adultery is as reprehensible for a husband as for a wife"

   Synonyms:
   felonious, savage, reprehensible, fell, pitiful, venomous, criminal, miserable, lamentable, deplorable, roughshod, evil, cruel, barbarous, poisonous, woeful, condemnable, wretched, distressing, execrable, brutal, sorry, sad

   Antonyms:
   humane, unmalicious, virtuous, right

4. poisonous, venomous, viciousadjective

   marked by deep ill will; deliberately harmful

   "poisonous hate"; "venomous criticism"; "vicious gossip"

   Synonyms:
   virulent, toxicant, deplorable, savage, barbarous, reprehensible, fell, venomous, criminal, condemnable, roughshod, cruel, poisonous, evil, deadly, brutal

   Antonyms:
   right, humane, unmalicious, virtuous

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. viciousadjective

   Synonyms:
   faulty, defective, imperfect

2. viciousadjective

   Synonyms:
   wicked, mischievous, depraved, immoral, sinful, corrupt, unprincipled, abandoned, demoralized, bad, worthless, profligate

3. viciousadjective

   Synonyms:
   unruly, refractory, contrary

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. viciousadjective

   Synonyms:
   immoral, evil, defective, faulty, imperfect, refractory, unruly, unmanageable, foul, noxious, malignant, hateful

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "vicious":

   malignant, brutal, malicious, evil, ruthless, fierce, infernal, cruel, perverse, heinous, merciless, wave, stealthy, ferocious, virulent, violent, sadistic, wicked

Suggested Resources

1. vicious

   Song lyrics by vicious -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by vicious on the Lyrics.com website.

2. Vicious

   Vicious vs. Viscous -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between the words Vicious and Viscous.

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How to use vicious in a sentence?

1. Richard Ladkani:

   This is a vicious circle where people get more indebted, this one fisherman wound up owing the cartels $54,000 for 18 nets. He tried to get out, he finally came out and said there is no way I can repay the cartel. He was murdered.

2. Foreign Minister Park:

   I think we need to break the vicious cycle for the people in terms of national interest without neglecting such a prolonged strained relationship between South Korea and Japan.

3. Joe Bidens:

   I know youve seen whats been online, the vicious, vicious threats and things theyve said, the misogynistic things theyve said, referring to the women who are leaders of the Culinary Union and the things that theyve said about them. And, actually, theyve received death threats. I mean, this is way, way -- this is Trump-like -- way over the line. And I think Bernie has to be -- he has to disavow this. He has to say, I disassociate, I dont want any of those people being with me.

4. Robert G. Ingersoll:

   Justice should remove the bandage from her eyes long enough to distinguish between the vicious and the unfortunate.

5. Dave Barry:

   Most married couples, even though they love each other very much in theory, tend to view each other in practice as large teeming flaw colonies, the result being that they get on each other's nerves and regularly erupt into vicious emotional shouting matches over such issues as toaster settings.