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Glite Dictionary
like sin

like sin

1 9.2
To do something very quickly or with great effort
  • idiom
  • Informal
translation icon : como loco
  • She was studying like sin for her final exams next week.

Examples

  • The dog dug through the garden like sin when it smelled food.

  • Then, we're in like sin.

    Blog text (27)

  • He ran like sin to catch the bus before it left.

Synonyms

like crazy
vslike sin
  • Informal
86 7.8

With a lot of energy and very quickly

focuses more on broad informal emphasis than only intensity
like hell
vslike sin
  • NSFW
75 7.9

Happening very quickly, with great effort or very strongly

is similar but used as a general informal emphasis across actions
with a vengeance
vslike sin
  • Informal
23 6.7

Very strongly and with a lot of energy

is similar but has a broader informal feel rather than force focus
like mad
vslike sin
  • Informal
13 8.1

Act very quickly and with great effort

stresses general informal intensity rather than only urgency or speed
like the devil
vslike sin
  • Informal
8 8.2

Very quickly and with great energy

is the more general informal intensifier across many actions
on steroids
vslike sin
  • Informal
5 7.7

A way to say something is much stronger and more extreme than usual

is the informal way to stress intensity rather than suggesting enhancement
like a demon
vslike sin
4 7.4

To do something with great energy and effort

expresses a general informal intensity rather than determined fierceness
like thunder
vslike sin
4 4.7

Very quickly and with great force

covers speed and effort but is used more generally and informally
something fierce
vslike sin
  • Informal
4 8.6

To a very great degree

is the informal everyday way to express similarly strong degree
like Speedy Gonzales
vslike sin
  • Informal
1 8.0

In a very quick way, like someone running fast

is less speed-specific and covers effort and intensity more generally
demonically
vslike sin
  • Literature
8.4

In a way that shows great energy, speed, or skill

uses plain informal emphasis without implying supernatural force
like merry hell
vslike sin
  • NSFW
9.5

In a very energetic and excited way

is the plain informal intensifier rather than a lively idiomatic phrase
like blue murder
vslike sin
  • UK
9.9

Acts very quickly and with great force

is broader and applies to speed, effort, or strong emphasis

Antonyms

slowly
∞ 1.0

At a low speed without hurrying

lightly
86 1.0

In a gentle way using little force

How Intense

like sin
  • Informal
1 9.2
intensely
88 3.1
hard
∞ 1.0
fairly
895 1.0
slightly
885 1.0

Surface Forms

like sin positive

Morphology

like + sin

The sense 'very much/very fast' cannot be derived from the literal meanings of 'like' (similar to) and 'sin' (moral wrongdoing); there is no transparent connection to speed or intensity. This is an informal, idiomatic intensifier (similar to regional uses like 'like hell') and therefore a B1 learner who only knows the component words would not reliably infer the MWE's meaning without prior exposure.

Etymology

Like sin may come from the image of someone being chased by sin and running away as fast as they can, so they move with great speed. So when we say something happened like sin, we mean it happened 'very fast' or 'very hard'.