sinful
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
describing an action that is considered very bad or evil because it breaks religious or moral rules.
constituting a sin; morally reprehensible or in violation of religious law.
Simple“In many cultures, lying to your parents is considered a sinful act.”
In context“The preacher spoke at length about the sinful nature of greed and its destructive impact on the community.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
describing a person who has done something wrong according to their religion.
having committed a sin; in a state of moral or spiritual guilt.
Simple“The man felt sinful after he realized he had treated his neighbors poorly.”
In context“The protagonist spent the rest of the novel trying to redeem his sinful past through acts of charity.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
describing something, usually food, that is so rich and tasty that you feel a little guilty for enjoying it.
highly indulgent or decadent; typically used to describe rich foods that are high in calories or luxury.
Simple“That triple-chocolate cake was absolutely sinful.”
In context“The dessert menu featured a sinful array of pastries, each more buttery and sugar-laden than the last.”
From Middle English synful, senful, sunful, from Old English synful (“sinful, guilty, wicked, corrupt”), equivalent to sin + -ful. Compare Dutch zondevol (“sinful”), German sündevoll (“sinful”), Danish syndefuld (“sinful”), Swedish syndfull (“sinful”), Icelandic syndfullur (“sinful”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.