Home > Antonyms > Antonyms for evil

Antonyms for evil

Grammar : Adj, noun
Spell : ee-vuhl
Phonetic Transcription : ˈi vəl

Definition of evil

Origin :
  • Old English yfel (Kentish evel) "bad, vicious, ill, wicked," from Proto-Germanic *ubilaz (cf. Old Saxon ubil, Old Frisian and Middle Dutch evel, Dutch euvel, Old High German ubil, German übel, Gothic ubils), from PIE *upelo-, from root *wap- (cf. Hittite huwapp- "evil").
  • "In OE., as in all the other early Teut. langs., exc. Scandinavian, this word is the most comprehensive adjectival expression of disapproval, dislike or disparagement" [OED]. Evil was the word the Anglo-Saxons used where we would use bad, cruel, unskillful, defective (adj.), or harm, crime, misfortune, disease (n.). The meaning "extreme moral wickedness" was in Old English, but did not become the main sense until 18c. Related: Evilly. Evil eye (Latin oculus malus) was Old English eage yfel. Evilchild is attested as an English surname from 13c.
  • adj sinful, immoral
  • noun badness, immorality; disaster
Example sentences :
  • "His countenance and his voice troubled me, like the presence of evil," answered Philothea.
  • Extract from : « Philothea » by Lydia Maria Child
  • The best doctrines become the worst, when they are used for evil purposes.
  • Extract from : « Philothea » by Lydia Maria Child
  • I should be b-a-d, and I should sit up nights to invent new ways of evil.
  • Extract from : « The Spenders » by Harry Leon Wilson
  • From evil—physical, moral, and political—it is not our claim to be exempt.
  • Extract from : « United States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches » by Various
  • But the evil has come with the good, and much fine gold has been corroded.
  • Extract from : « United States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches » by Various
  • Be it considered, also, that men often overestimate their capacity for evil.
  • Extract from : « Fancy's Show-Box (From "Twice Told Tales") » by Nathaniel Hawthorne
  • You have seen that life is fragile, and evil is real, and courage triumphs.
  • Extract from : « United States Presidents' Inaugural Speeches » by Various
  • "I believe the Evil One is in the box," said he, with some vexation.
  • Extract from : « Other Tales and Sketches » by Nathaniel Hawthorne
  • Where the Universal Good is all there can be no place for evil or evil spirits.
  • Extract from : « The Conquest of Fear » by Basil King
  • How would he stand against the evil influences surrounding him?
  • Extract from : « Life in London » by Edwin Hodder

Synonyms for evil

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019