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, vicious, 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, vicious, 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, vicious, 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, vicious, 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. Mark Eiglarsh:

   I think this is one of those rare cases where he might have to take the witness stand. He's an actor, so he has an advantage over almost anyone who is going to take the witness stand. He knows how to portray characters, so he'd be playing the role potentially of a person who has been victimized by the prosecution repeatedly, and someone who has suffered a vicious attack, if he wasn't a good actor, I'd say it might be too risky, but he's an excellent actor. That's what he does for a living.

2. Bill Clinton:

   She and other people who have gone online to defend Hillary and explain -- just explain -- why they supported her have been subject to vicious trolling and attacks that are literally too profane often -- not to mention sexist -- to repeat.

3. Donald Trump:

   She wanted to breast pump in front of me and I may have said that's disgusting, I may have said something else. I thought it was terrible, she's a vicious, horrible person.

4. Gustav Schwarzenegger:

   [My father] was injured at Leningrad and the Nazi army he was part of did vicious harm to the great city and to its brave people, when my father arrived in Leningrad, he was all pumped up on the lies of his government.

5. Philip Luther:

   Widespread atrocities, in particular the vicious and unrelenting aerial bombardment of civilian neighbourhoods by government forces, have made life for civilians in Aleppo increasingly unbearable, these reprehensible and continual strikes on residential areas point to a policy of deliberately and systematically targeting civilians in attacks that constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.