wicked
gb/wˈɪkɪd/ us/wˈɪkɪd/
B2
English
~ 8500
gonosz, elvetemült, iszonyú, kegyetlen, huncut, gonoszkodó, kaján, király, menő, állati jó, nagyon, rohadtul, baromi, háromszorosan, rendkívül, rettenetesen, a gonoszok
B2
1
gonosz
A2
elvetemült
C1
Usage pattern:
a wicked [person/act/deed]
The dictator was remembered as a wicked man who caused great suffering.
A diktátorra gonosz emberként emlékeztek, aki hatalmas szenvedést okozott.
They believed the child had been led astray by wicked companions.
Úgy hitték, hogy a gyereket rossz társaság vitte tévútra.
In many stories, a wicked stepmother tries to harm the children.
The court described the attack as a wicked and senseless act of violence.
She refused to take part in their wicked plan to cheat the charity.
Learner examples
The king was kind, but his brother was wicked.
A király kedves volt, de a testvére gonosz volt.
Only a wicked person would hurt an animal for fun.
Csak egy gonosz ember bántana szórakozásból egy állatot.
In the story, a wicked queen tries to kill the princess.
He asked God to forgive his wicked thoughts.
People were afraid of the wicked man in the village.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "wicked" when they only mean "bad" or "low quality" (for example, a "wicked phone" for a phone that works poorly). "Wicked" usually suggests strong moral judgment, not just poor quality. For everyday non-moral criticism, "bad" or "terrible" is more natural.
Meaning
morally bad or evil
Collocations
wicked act
|wicked deed
|wicked crime
|wicked man
|wicked stepmother
|wicked witch
Synonyms
evil (Stronger and more direct; commonly used for great moral wrong or supernatural badness.)
Antonyms
virtuous (Stresses high moral standards and doing what is right, the opposite of wicked behavior.)
Themes
ethics
|character
|religion
|emotions
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Very bad and evil, not caring if you hurt other people.
Morally very bad, cruel, or evil, especially in a way that seriously harms others.
B2
2
Usage pattern:
a wicked [pain/storm/punch]
I woke up with a wicked headache after the long flight.
A hosszú repülőút után iszonyú fejfájással ébredtem.
The town was hit by a wicked storm that knocked out power for days.
A várost iszonyú vihar sújtotta, és napokra elment az áram.
She caught a wicked cold that kept her in bed all week.
He landed a wicked punch that ended the fight in seconds.
We had to drive through a wicked fog on the way home.
Learner examples
I have a wicked toothache and I need a dentist.
Iszonyúan fáj a fogam, és fogorvoshoz kell mennem.
There was a wicked wind on the beach yesterday.
Tegnap kegyetlen szél fújt a strandon.
He got a wicked bruise on his leg from the accident.
We drove slowly because of the wicked rain.
She felt wicked pain in her back when she stood up.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with the moral sense and avoid using it, or think it always sounds very old. In modern English, this "very strong and unpleasant" meaning is still natural in speech, especially for pain or weather.
Meaning
very strong and unpleasant
Collocations
wicked headache
|wicked storm
|wicked wind
|wicked hangover
|wicked left hook
|wicked bruise
Synonyms
fierce (Often used for strong natural forces or emotions; slightly less colloquial than "wicked" in this sense.)
Antonyms
mild (Describes something that is not strong or harsh, the opposite of "wicked" pain or weather.)
Themes
intensity
|health
|weather
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Very strong and bad in a way that hurts or is hard to deal with.
Very strong and harsh in effect, often causing pain, difficulty, or physical danger.
B2
INFORMAL
3
Usage pattern:
a wicked [sense of humor/smile/joke]
She has a wicked sense of humor and loves making dark jokes.
Gonoszkodó humora van, és imád sötét poénokat elsütni.
He gave me a wicked grin when he played the prank.
Kaján vigyorral nézett rám, amikor megtréfált.
The comedian is known for his wicked, cutting one-liners.
Her tweets are full of wicked comments about politics.
There was a wicked sparkle in his eyes as he told the story.
Learner examples
My brother has a wicked sense of humor.
A testvéremnek huncut humorérzéke van.
She gave me a wicked smile when she told the secret.
Huncutul rám mosolygott, amikor elárulta a titkot.
The movie is funny, but the jokes are a little wicked.
He enjoys telling wicked jokes about his friends.
Her wicked comments made everyone laugh and cry at the same time.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this always means seriously evil. In this sense, it is usually positive or admiring, especially when talking about humor or personality. Tone depends on context and voice.
Meaning
playfully cruel or mischievous
Collocations
wicked sense of humor
|wicked grin
|wicked smile
|wicked joke
|wicked wit
Synonyms
mischievous (Suggests playful troublemaking; can be gentler and less sharp than "wicked" humor.)
Antonyms
innocent (Humor or behavior that does not hurt or shock anyone, opposite of "wicked" jokes or smiles.)
Themes
humor
|personality
|social
|emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A little bit cruel or rude, but in a funny way that people often like.
Playfully cruel, clever, or shocking in a way that many people find funny or entertaining rather than seriously harmful.
C1
SLANG
4
Usage pattern:
wicked [noun]
That concert last night was wicked!
A tegnap esti koncert király volt!
She’s got some wicked guitar skills.
Állati jó gitártudása van.
The movie had wicked special effects for such a small budget.
Those are some wicked shoes—where did you get them?
We had a wicked time at the festival this weekend.
Learner examples
The band played a wicked song.
A zenekar egy király számot játszott.
That was a wicked game; I want to play again.
Király játék volt; újra akarok játszani.
Your new car is wicked. I love it.
We had a wicked night out with friends.
He showed me a wicked trick with the cards.
Common mistake:
Learners may misunderstand this slang and think it always means "evil." In youth and regional slang (especially in some parts of the US and UK), "wicked" can mean "very good." It is strongly informal and may sound strange in formal writing or to older speakers.
Meaning
excellent or very impressive (slang)
Collocations
wicked music
|wicked party
|wicked game
|wicked moves
|wicked time
|wicked show
Synonyms
awesome (Very close in meaning and register; "awesome" is more widespread and slightly less region-specific.)
Antonyms
lame (Slang for boring or unimpressive, the opposite judgment of something called "wicked" in this sense.)
Themes
youth
|evaluation
|entertainment
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Very good or great, used in informal speech to show you like something a lot.
Very good, impressive, or enjoyable, used mainly in slang to show strong approval.
C1
SLANG
5
Usage pattern:
wicked [adjective/adverb]
This exam is wicked hard, so start studying early.
It’s wicked cold outside—don’t forget your gloves.
Her new laptop is wicked fast compared to the old one.
We were wicked late because of the traffic.
That roller coaster was wicked scary but so much fun.
Learner examples
The soup is wicked hot, so wait before you eat.
He runs wicked fast in races.
It was wicked cold last night.
She is wicked smart and always gets top grades.
The bus was wicked late this morning.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use this form in writing without knowing it is regional and slang, especially in parts of the northeastern US. In most situations, "very" or "really" is safer and more widely understood.
Meaning
very, extremely (slang adverb)
Collocations
wicked smart
|wicked fast
|wicked hard
|wicked cold
|wicked late
|wicked busy
Synonyms
really (Neutral and widely used as an intensifier; "wicked" is more slangy and region-specific.)
Antonyms
slightly (Suggests a small degree, the opposite of the strong intensifying force of "wicked".)
Themes
intensity
|youth
|informal_speech
|communication
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Used like "very" or "really" to make an adjective or adverb stronger in informal speech.
Used as an intensifier meaning very or extremely, especially in some regional varieties of English.
NOUN
B2
LITERARY
6
a gonoszok
B1
Usage pattern:
the wicked
The story tells of a final judgment where the wicked are separated from the righteous.
A történet egy végső ítéletről szól, amelyben a gonoszokat elkülönítik az igazaktól.
He preached that the wicked would eventually face justice.
Azt prédikálta, hogy a gonoszok végül elnyerik méltó büntetésüket.
In many myths, the wicked are punished for their pride and cruelty.
Some novels show that the wicked do not always suffer for their actions.
The proverb suggests there is no rest for the wicked.
Learner examples
In the story, the wicked go to a dark place.
A történetben a gonoszok egy sötét helyre kerülnek.
Some people believe the wicked will be punished after death.
Vannak, akik azt hiszik, hogy a gonoszok a halál után büntetést kapnak.
The teacher said the book shows how the wicked finally lose.
The movie ends with the wicked in prison.
In old stories, the wicked often meet a bad end.
Common mistake:
Learners may try to use "a wicked" as a countable noun for one bad person. In modern English, this sense is almost always used with "the" as a group noun: "the wicked." For a single person, use "a wicked person" or "an evil man/woman."
Meaning
people who are wicked
Collocations
the wicked
|punish the wicked
|the righteous and the wicked
|rest for the wicked
Synonyms
sinners (Often used in religious contexts; focuses on breaking religious law rather than general evil.)
Antonyms
the righteous (People seen as morally right and just, the direct contrast to "the wicked.")
Themes
ethics
|religion
|literature
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
People who do very bad and evil things.
People who are morally very bad or evil, often contrasted with good or righteous people.
Grammar
Dictionary form
wicked
IPA
GB/wˈɪkɪd/
US/wˈɪkɪd/
Syllables & stress
wicked (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (wicked)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: wicked
- Comparative: wickeder
- Superlative: wickedest
Word family
Forms
wickeder
adjective
wickedest
adjective
Core family
wickedly
adverb B2
wickedness
noun B2
Expressions
no rest for the wicked
1/nˈoʊ ɹˈɛst fɚ ðə wˈɪkɪd/
idiom
informal
must keep working despite tiredness
Said, often joking, when you are tired but must keep working or dealing with problems with no break.
Examples
- "Back to the office already?" "Yeah, no rest for the wicked."
- She sighed, picked up another pile of files, and muttered, "No rest for the wicked."
- After cleaning all day, he still had to cook dinner—no rest for the wicked.
something wicked this way comes
1/sˈʌmθɪŋ wˈɪkɪd ðˈɪs wˈeɪ kˈʌmz/
idiom
literary
something bad is coming
Used, often playfully or in a dramatic way, to say that something bad or scary is coming soon.
Examples
- Dark clouds rolled in over the sea—"Something wicked this way comes," she whispered.
- When the boss walks in with that look, you know something wicked this way comes.
- The campaign used the line "something wicked this way comes" to warn about climate change.
wicked sense of humor
1/wˈɪkɪd sˈɛns əv hjˈumɚ/
fixed phrase
dark or sharp humor style
A way of being funny that is sharp and a little cruel or shocking, but many people still enjoy it.
Examples
- She has a wicked sense of humor and nothing is off limits.
- His wicked sense of humor makes even sad stories sound funny.
- The author brings a wicked sense of humor to serious subjects.
wicked stepmother
1/wˈɪkɪd stˈɛpmˌʌðɚ/
fixed phrase
cruel stepmother figure
A stepmother in stories or in life who is very unkind and unfair to her partner's children.
Examples
- Many fairy tales include a wicked stepmother who hates the children.
- She joked that she did not want to be a wicked stepmother to her partner's kids.
- The film avoids the old idea of the wicked stepmother and shows a loving blended family instead.
wicked stepmother
1/wˈɪkɪd stˈɛpmˌʌðɚ/
fixed phrase
cruel stepmother in stories
A 'wicked stepmother' is a cruel stepmother in a story.
Examples
- In the fairy tale, the wicked stepmother makes Cinderella do all the housework.
- The movie plays with the wicked stepmother stereotype and then surprises you.
- She joked that she wasn't a wicked stepmother, just a strict one.
Learner examples
- The wicked stepmother is mean in the story.
wicked witch
1/wˈɪkɪd wˈɪt͡ʃ/
fixed phrase
very evil female witch
A very evil and cruel witch, especially in fairy tales and children's stories.
Examples
- In the story, a wicked witch puts a spell on the princess.
- The film features a wicked witch who rules the dark forest.
- As a child, he was terrified of the wicked witch in that cartoon.