# evil

/ˈivəɫ/ (US) · /ˈiːvəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/evil
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. morally bad

adjective · CEFR B1

very cruel, bad, or morally wrong.

For teachers: profoundly immoral or malevolent in character or intent.

- In many old stories, the hero must defeat an evil king to save the land.
- The philosopher argued that no human is born inherently evil, but rather that circumstances and choices shape a person's moral compass.

### 2. harmful or unpleasant

adjective · CEFR B2

causing harm or having a very unpleasant quality, like a bad smell or mood.

For teachers: tending to cause harm, distress, or misfortune; can also describe sensory experiences that are intensely unpleasant.

- An evil smell was coming from the old bins behind the restaurant.
- The sailors watched the horizon with concern, noting the evil look of the gathering storm clouds.

### 3. bad practice

adjective · CEFR C1 · Slang · Technical

something that is considered a bad idea or a poor way of doing things.

For teachers: describes a practice or method that is considered undesirable, inefficient, or likely to cause technical problems.

- Most programmers agree that using global variables like that is evil.
- While the shortcut works in the short term, senior developers consider hard-coding credentials to be fundamentally evil due to security risks.

Teaching tip: In technical circles, 'evil' is often used hyperbolically to describe poor design choices rather than moral failings.

### 4. wickedness

noun · CEFR B2

the force or quality of being very bad or cruel.

For teachers: the abstract concept of moral badness or the manifestation of malevolent forces.

- The book explores the struggle between good and evil in the modern world.
- The documentary examines the banality of evil, showing how ordinary people can participate in horrific systemic crimes.

### 5. a harmful thing

noun · CEFR B2

something that causes trouble, suffering, or damage.

For teachers: a specific source of harm, suffering, or misfortune; often used to describe social problems.

- High inflation is a social evil that affects the poorest families the most.
- The reformer dedicated his life to eradicating the evils of child labour and urban poverty.

## Examples

- The story is about the struggle between good and evil.
- Many people believe that poverty is a social evil that the government must work harder to eliminate.
- The philosopher argued that the existence of natural evil, such as earthquakes and disease, presents a significant challenge to the idea of a benevolent creator.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.