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vile

vile

131 5.0
Very bad and morally wrong
  • adjective
  • /vaɪl/
: vil
  • It is the most vile stain on our country.
  • most vile
  • become vile
  • low and vile

But this is so particularly vile because we saw it.

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Examples

Synonyms

horrible
vsvile
∞ 1.5

Very bad or frightening in a way that makes you feel upset

adds moral wrongdoing and deep disgust to that shocking quality
awful
vsvile
914 1.0

Very bad or unpleasant and causing dislike

is stronger, implying moral wickedness and deep unpleasantness
disgusting
vsvile
538 1.3

Causing a strong feeling of dislike or making you feel sick

adds moral wickedness and blame to that raw revulsion
lousy
vsvile
  • Informal
421 4.1

Very bad or mean and not liked by people

is stronger, expressing severe moral badness and intense disgust
gross
vsvile
  • Informal
333 2.3

Very unpleasant and making you feel sick or disgusted

is more about moral wickedness and intense disgust beyond dirt
rotten
vsvile
191 1.0

Very bad and unpleasant to experience

is more morally bad and strongly disgusting rather than just poor quality
hideous
vsvile
156 5.1

Very ugly and likely to make people feel shocked or disgusted

is more about moral wickedness and reprehensible behavior than looks
nasty
vsvile
146 1.0

Very dirty and covered with things that smell bad

is focused more on moral wrongness and deep disgust rather than dirt
filthy
vsvile
140 4.1

A person or action that is very bad and dishonest

is broader, also meaning deeply wicked and extremely unpleasant
dreadful
vsvile
134 3.7

Very bad and unpleasant, often causing fear or shock

is more morally bad and causes disgust as well as fear
ugly
vsvile
113 4.9

Very bad or offensive in a moral way

is stronger, adding intense disgust and wicked character to that sense
despicable
vsvile
  • Offensive
87 5.7

Very bad in a way that makes people feel strong dislike and disgust

is also strongly disgusting and describes overall wicked behavior
repulsive
vsvile
54 5.5

Causing strong dislike or disgust, like a very bad smell

is more morally charged, adding wicked or reprehensible qualities
horrid
vsvile
47 4.1

A very unpleasant thing that shocks or disgusts you

is more morally condemnatory and implies wicked character as well
wretched
vsvile
  • Offensive
44 7.1

Very bad in a moral way and deserving strong blame

is stronger in expressing extreme unpleasantness and deep moral wrong
depraved
vsvile
  • Formal
44 7.8

Very bad and cruel in the way someone behaves

adds extreme unpleasantness and public disgust to moral corruption
slimy
vsvile
  • Offensive
40 6.5

A person who is dishonest and unpleasant, so others do not trust them

is more about overall wickedness and severe moral badness, not just dishonesty
repugnant
vsvile
35 7.8

Very unpleasant and morally wrong to most people

is broader, adding clear wickedness to that offensive sense
distasteful
vsvile
34 4.6

Something that makes people feel dislike or disgust

is stronger, implying deep moral badness and intense unpleasantness
unsavory
vsvile
  • US
31 7.2

Something people think is morally wrong or dishonest

is stronger, suggesting clear wickedness and intense disgust
monstrous
vsvile
27 7.3

Very cruel and shocking, causing strong fear

also implies deep disgust and broad moral badness beyond cruelty
abominable
vsvile
26 7.2

Very bad or morally wrong so people strongly dislike it

is broader, also covering deep wickedness and general repulsiveness
abhorrent
vsvile
21 7.7

Causing strong dislike or disgust because people see it as morally wrong

is broader, naming deep wickedness as well as strong unpleasantness
loathsome
vsvile
19 7.7

Causing strong disgust or hatred in people

is more about wicked moral badness together with deep unpleasantness
odious
vsvile
  • Formal
19 8.2

Very unpleasant and likely to make people feel strong dislike

is more about moral wickedness combined with strong disgust
fiendish
vsvile
10 7.9

Being very cruel and evil and making others suffer

is broader, also indicating intense unpleasantness and moral disgust
unworthy
vsvile
  • Offensive
7 5.4

Deserves strong blame or dislike

is more extreme, implying deep disgust and severe wickedness
loathly
vsvile
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Very unpleasant and likely to make people feel disgusted

focuses more on moral wickedness as well as deep unpleasantness
disgustful
vsvile
1 6.7

Causing a strong feeling of dislike or making people feel sick

is also morally condemnatory, not only causing revulsion

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

Behaving in a kind and honest way

318 3.6

Having high moral qualities and kind intentions

Compounds

durance vile
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Harsh, long time in prison or suffering that someone must endure against their will

How Unpleasant

vile
131 5.0
revolting
31 4.9
disgusting
538 1.3
nasty
  • Offensive
535 1.8
unpleasant
183 1.0
disagreeable
5 3.9

Surface Forms

vile positive
viler comparative
vilest superlative

Etymology

Vile comes from the Latin vilis, which means 'cheap' or 'worthless'. A helpful way to remember it is to think of something so low in value that you feel disgust or moral anger toward it — that's why vile now means extremely unpleasant or morally bad, and it is the same root behind vilify ('to say someone is worthless').