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iniquity

iniquity

21 9.5
Very bad or unfair actions that harm people
  • noun
  • /ɪˈnɪkwɪti/
  • Literature
translation icon : iniquidad
  • She spoke out against the iniquity in the system, calling for justice and moral reform.

We've gone our own way, but God laid on him the sins or iniquities of us all.

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Examples

  • For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

    Blog text (19)
  • Never will I forgive myself the iniquity of this day.

    Academic text (2007)
  • "Deliver me from the workers of iniquity.

  • The sound of human iniquity.

  • - What brings you to this den of iniquity, oh buddy, old pal of mine?

  • Another door that's lead us to nothing but sin and iniquity.

  • Yet, the whole community is punished for the iniquities of some.

    Academic text (2003)
  • Does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in truth.

  • We've gone our own way, but God laid on him the sins or iniquities of us all.

  • We are healed by his stripes and all our iniquities are laid upon him.

Synonyms

evil
vsiniquity
3.0

Bad actions or a force that harms people

adds the sense of great scale and seriousness to that wrong
injustice
vsiniquity
197 3.9

An unfair action or situation that treats people badly

includes unfairness but also covers extreme moral wickedness broadly
abomination
vsiniquity
  • Offensive
72 9.1

Something that people find very shocking and morally wrong

means extreme moral wrong instead of merely being detestable
wickedness
vsiniquity
28 5.2

A state of being morally wrong or evil

is stronger, implying great or extreme moral wrong
depravity
vsiniquity
  • Formal
25 8.8

A state of very bad moral behavior

focuses on great wickedness without stressing long‑term corruption
immorality
vsiniquity
23 6.3

Bad behavior that people see as wrong or evil

is stronger, meaning great or extreme moral wrongdoing
misdeed
vsiniquity
23 6.2

A wrong action that hurts someone or breaks a rule

denotes great wickedness as a broad serious quality rather than one act
villainy
vsiniquity
16 8.1

Very bad actions that hurt other people

is broader, covering general great wickedness, not just crimes
enormity
vsiniquity
  • Formal
9 8.9

Great evil that shocks people

refers to great wickedness but not necessarily shocking scale
evilness
vsiniquity
8 6.5

A quality of doing very bad things and wanting to harm people

indicates very serious or great moral wrongdoing instead of general wrong
wrongness
vsiniquity
6 6.8

A state of being not accepted by society or by moral standards

signals a much greater, more serious level of moral wrong
vileness
vsiniquity
2 8.0

Very bad and morally wrong behavior

centres on large-scale wickedness rather than mere offensiveness
foulness
vsiniquity
1 7.9

Very bad and immoral behavior that harms other people

means great wickedness without the physical disgust focus
wrongfulness
vsiniquity
  • Formal
1 7.4

Something that is not right according to law or morals

extends this to very serious and deeply immoral cases
evildoing
vsiniquity
1 7.3

Bad actions that harm people or break the law

describes the overall great wickedness behind such acts
ungodliness
vsiniquity
1 8.9

Lack of respect for God or religion, often shown in bad behavior

is broader, covering severe moral wickedness beyond religious disrespect
nefariousness
vsiniquity
  • Formal
1 9.6

Very evil behaviour that harms other people

covers severe immorality but can include less deliberate cases
miscreancy
vsiniquity
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Very bad actions that break the law

is about very grave moral wrongdoing rather than just character
odiousness
vsiniquity
  • Formal
9.0

A quality of being very unpleasant and causing strong dislike

captures serious immorality but not primarily repulsiveness

Antonyms

2.5

Fair treatment of people and the courts that decide it

259 3.8

A good personal quality like honesty or kindness

Compounds

2 9.1

A place where people often secretly do illegal or immoral things

How Wicked

evil
1.2
wickedness
28 5.2
iniquity
  • Literature
21 9.5
immorality
23 6.3
wrongdoing
117 3.7

Surface Forms

iniquity singular
iniquities plural

Morphology

iniquity = iniquitous (opaque) = in + iquity

The word 'iniquity' is derived from 'iniquitous', but the base 'iquity' is not a standalone English word, making the derivation opaque.

Etymology

The word iniquity comes from Latin parts in- 'not' and aequus 'equal', the same root you see in equal and equity. So iniquity is like being 'not equal' and now means great unfairness or very wrong, immoral actions.