moral arguments about the wickedness of nuclear weapons
They have sunk to new levels of wickedness.
wrong
I intend to right the wrong done to you.
evil
We are being attacked by the forces of evil.
crime
Much of the city's crime revolves around protection rackets.
error
trespass
Forgive us our trespasses.
blasphemy
a petition campaign against blasphemy on television
immorality
a reflection of our society's immorality
transgression
iniquity
He rails against the iniquities of capitalism.
irreverence
sinfulness
impiety
unrighteousness
ungodliness
2 (noun)
Definition
any offence against a principle or standard
Was it a sin to have believed too much in themselves?
Synonyms
crime
He has committed no crime and poses no danger to the public.
offence
It is a criminal offence to sell goods which are unsafe.
misdemeanour
I knew nothing about my partner's misdemeanours.
error
lapse
wrongdoing
The authorities haven't found any evidence of criminal wrongdoing.
misdeed
the alleged financial misdeeds of his government
transgression
tales of the candidate's alleged past transgressions
act of evil
guilt
(verb)
Definition
to commit a sin
They charged him with sinning against God and man.
Synonyms
transgress
We should be confident that justice is done to those who transgress.
offend
alleged criminals who offend while on bail
lapse
err
If he errs again there will be serious consequences.
trespass (archaic)
Forgive those who trespass against us.
fall from grace
go astray
commit a sin
do wrong
related words
related maniahamartiomania
related phobiahamartiophobia
subject word lists
See Seven deadly sins
Quotations
I count religion but a childish toy And hold there is no sin but ignorance [Christopher Marlowe – The Jew of Malta]Be sure your sin will find you out [Bible: Numbers]The wages of sin is death [Bible: Romans]more sinn'd against than sinning [William Shakespeare – King Lear]All good biography, as all good fiction, comes down to the study of original sin, of our inherent disposition to choose death when we ought to choose life [Rebecca West – Time and Tide]There's no such thing as an original sin [Elvis Costello – I'm not Angry]Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow [Bible: Isaiah]If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us [Bible: I John]It is public scandal that constitutes offence, and to sin in secret is not to sin at all [Molière – Le Tartuffe]
proverb
Old sins cast long shadows
Additional synonyms
in the sense of blasphemy
Definition
behaviour or language that shows disrespect for God or sacred things
a petition campaign against blasphemy on television
Synonyms
irreverence,
swearing,
cursing,
indignity,
disrespect,
desecration,
sacrilege,
profanity,
impiety,
profanation,
execration,
profaneness,
impiousness
in the sense of err
Definition
to sin
If he errs again there will be serious consequences.
Synonyms
sin,
fall,
offend,
lapse,
trespass,
do wrong,
deviate,
misbehave,
go astray,
transgress,
be out of order,
blot your copybook (informal)
in the sense of evil
Definition
a force or power that brings about wickedness and harm
We are being attacked by the forces of evil.
Synonyms
wickedness,
bad,
wrong,
vice,
corruption,
sin,
wrongdoing,
depravity,
immorality,
iniquity,
badness,
viciousness,
villainy,
sinfulness,
turpitude (formal),
baseness,
malignity,
heinousness,
maleficence
Synonyms of 'sin'
sin
Explore 'sin' in the dictionary
sin
(sɪn)
Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense sins, present participle sinning, past tense, past participle sinned
1. variable noun
Sin or a sin is an action or type of behaviour which is believed to break the laws of God.
The Vatican's teaching on abortion is clear: it is a sin.
Was it the sin of pride to have believed too much in themselves?
Synonyms: crime, offence, misdemeanour, error More Synonyms of sin
2. See also cardinal sin, mortal sin
3. verb
If you sin, you do something that is believed to break the laws of God.
The Spanish Inquisition charged him with sinning against God and man. [VERB + against]
You have sinned and must repent your ways. [VERB]
Synonyms: transgress, offend, lapse, err More Synonyms of sin
Synonyms: wrongdoer, offender, evildoer, trespasser [archaic] More Synonyms of sin
4. countable noun
A sin is any action or behaviour that people disapprove of or consider morally wrong.
...the sin of arrogant hard-heartedness.
The ultimate sin was not infidelity, but public mention which led to scandal.
5.
See to live in sin
6. a multitude of sins
More Synonyms of sin
sin in British English1
(sɪn)
noun
1. theology
a.
transgression of God's known will or any principle or law regarded as embodying this
b.
the condition of estrangement from God arising from such transgression
See also actual sin, mortal sin, original sin, venial sin
2.
any serious offence, as against a religious or moral principle
3.
any offence against a principle or standard
4. live in sin
verbWord forms: sins, sinning or sinned(intransitive)
5. theology
to commit a sin
6. (usually foll by against)
to commit an offence (against a person, principle, etc)
Derived forms
sinner (ˈsinner)
noun
Word origin
Old English synn; related to Old Norse synth, Old High German suntea sin, Latin sons guilty
sin in British English2
(sɪn)
preposition, conjunction, adverb
a Scot dialect word for since
sin in British English3
(siːn)
noun
a variant of shin, the 21st letter in the Hebrew alphabet (שׂ), transliterated as S
shin2
sin in British English4
(saɪn) mathematics
abbreviation for
sine
SIN in British English
or S.I.N.
abbreviation for(in Canada)
social insurance number
SIN in American English
(sɪn)
Social Insurance Number: in Canada, an individual number containing nine digits and used by the government to identify a person for the paying of taxes and the receipt of pensions and other government benefits
sin in American English1
(sɪn)
noun
1.
a.
an offense against God, religion, or good morals
b.
the condition of being guilty of continued offense against God, religion, or good morals
2.
an offense against any law, standard, code, etc.
a sin against good taste
verb intransitiveWord forms: sinned or ˈsinning
3.
to commit a sin
Idioms:
live in sin
Word origin
ME (East Midland) sinne < OE synne (for *sunjo), akin to Ger sünde, prob. < early Gmc borrowing < L sous (gen. sontis), guilty, technical legal term, orig. part. form of esse, to be (see is1), in sense (he) being (the one)
sin in American English2
(sin)
noun
the twenty-first letter of the Hebrew alphabet (שׂ)
Word origin
Heb
sin in American English3
TrigonometryMathematics
sine
Examples of 'sin' in a sentence
sin
And then there was the sin which seemed to come merely from being born.
Salley Vickers INSTANCES OF THE NUMBER 3 (2004)
So there was no necessity for guilt unless you counted enjoyment as a sin.
Martin, Joy THE IMAGE OF LAURA (2004)
Quotations
I count religion but a childish toy And hold there is no sin but ignoranceChristopher MarloweThe Jew of Malta
Be sure your sin will find you outBible: Numbers
The wages of sin is deathBible: Romans
more sinn'd against than sinningWilliam ShakespeareKing Lear
All good biography, as all good fiction, comes down to the study of original sin, of our inherent disposition to choose death when we ought to choose lifeRebecca WestTime and Tide
There's no such thing as an original sinElvis CostelloI'm not Angry
Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snowBible: Isaiah
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in usBible: I John
It is public scandal that constitutes offence, and to sin in secret is not to sin at allMolièreLe Tartuffe
Old sins cast long shadows
Word lists with
sin
Arabic, Hebrew
In other languages
sin
British English: sin /sɪn/ NOUN
Sin or a sin is an action or type of behaviour which is believed to break the laws of God.
They believe that lying is a sin.
American English: sin
Arabic: خَطِيئَة
Brazilian Portuguese: pecado
Chinese: 罪孽
Croatian: grijeh
Czech: hřích
Danish: synd
Dutch: zonde
European Spanish: pecado
Finnish: synti
French: péché
German: Sünde
Greek: αμαρτία
Italian: peccato
Japanese: 罪 宗教・道徳
Korean: 죄
Norwegian: synd
Polish: grzech
European Portuguese: pecado
Romanian: păcat
Russian: грех
Latin American Spanish: pecado
Swedish: synd
Thai: บาป
Turkish: günah
Ukrainian: гріх
Vietnamese: tội lỗi
Additional synonyms
in the sense of immorality
a reflection of our society's immorality
Synonyms
wickedness,
wrong,
vice,
evil,
corruption,
sin,
depravity,
iniquity,
debauchery,
badness,
licentiousness,
turpitude (formal),
dissoluteness
in the sense of impiety
Definition
lack of respect or religious reverence
Synonyms
sacrilege,
wickedness,
iniquity,
irreverence,
profanity,
sinfulness,
godlessness,
unrighteousness,
irreligion,
ungodliness,
profaneness,
unholiness
in the sense of iniquity
Definition
a wicked act
He rails against the iniquities of capitalism.
Synonyms
wickedness,
wrong,
crime,
evil,
sin,
offence,
injustice,
wrongdoing,
misdeed,
infamy,
abomination,
sinfulness,
baseness,
unrighteousness,
heinousness,
evildoing
in the sense of misdeed
Definition
an evil or illegal action
the alleged financial misdeeds of his government
Synonyms
offence,
wrong,
crime,
fault,
sin,
misconduct,
trespass,
misdemeanour,
transgression,
villainy
in the sense of misdemeanour
Definition
a minor wrongdoing
I knew nothing about my partner's misdemeanours.
Synonyms
offence,
misconduct,
infringement,
trespass,
misdeed,
transgression,
misbehaviour,
peccadillo
in the sense of offence
Definition
a breaking of a law or rule
It is a criminal offence to sell goods which are unsafe.
Synonyms
crime,
wrong,
sin,
lapse,
fault,
violation,
wrongdoing,
trespass,
felony,
misdemeanour,
delinquency,
misdeed,
transgression,
peccadillo,
unlawful act,
breach of conduct
in the sense of offend
Definition
to commit a crime
alleged criminals who offend while on bail
Synonyms
break the law,
sin,
err,
do wrong,
fall,
fall from grace,
go astray
in the sense of transgression
tales of the candidate's alleged past transgressions
Synonyms
crime,
wrong,
fault,
error,
offence,
breach,
sin,
lapse,
violation,
wrongdoing,
infringement,
trespass,
misdemeanour,
misdeed,
encroachment,
misbehaviour,
contravention,
iniquity,
peccadillo,
infraction
in the sense of trespass
Definition
a sin or wrongdoing
Forgive us our trespasses.
Synonyms
sin,
crime,
fault,
error,
offence,
breach,
misconduct,
wrongdoing,
misdemeanour,
delinquency,
misdeed,
transgression,
misbehaviour,
iniquity,
infraction,
evildoing,
injury
in the sense of trespass
Forgive those who trespass against us.
Synonyms
sin,
offend,
transgress,
commit a sin,
wrong,
violate
Additional synonyms
in the sense of wrong
Definition
something bad, immoral, or unjust
I intend to right the wrong done to you.
Synonyms
offence,
injury,
crime,
abuse,
error,
sin,
injustice,
grievance,
infringement,
trespass,
misdeed,
transgression,
infraction,
bad or evil deed
in the sense of wrongdoing
Definition
immoral or illegal behaviour
The authorities haven't found any evidence of criminal wrongdoing.