wickedness
gb/wˈɪkɪdnəs/ us/wˈɪkɪdnəs/
B2
Anglais
~ 5500
Sens
0 sens
Nom
B2
state
1
the state of being morally evil
The quality of being very bad, cruel, or evil in a moral way.
Schéma d’usage :
the wickedness of [someone/something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'wickedness' with the slang use of 'wicked' meaning 'very good' or 'cool'. In serious or formal contexts, 'wickedness' always refers to moral evil, never something positive. Another common mistake is using the adjective form where a noun is needed, e.g. saying *'the wicked of his heart'* instead of *'the wickedness of his heart'*.
Synonymes
evil (Broad and very common; can refer to people, actions, or general forces of moral badness.)
|
sinfulness (Often used in religious contexts, focusing on going against God's will or moral law.)
|
depravity (Suggests extreme moral corruption or total loss of moral standards.)
Antonymes
goodness (General term for moral rightness and kindness, the direct opposite of wickedness.)
|
virtue (Emphasizes positive moral habits and qualities rather than general moral goodness.)
|
righteousness (Often religious; suggests living in a morally correct and just way.)
Collocations
great wickedness
|pure wickedness
|human wickedness
|full of wickedness
|the depth of wickedness
|an act of wickedness
Thèmes
ethics
|religion
|society
|character
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The novel explores the wickedness that can grow in a person who is given too much power.
- She was shocked by the sheer wickedness of the regime's treatment of its own people.
- Many religious traditions warn that unchecked wickedness leads to suffering and destruction.
- The documentary showed how ordinary citizens were drawn into systems of wickedness and cruelty.
- He believed that love, not law, was the only force strong enough to overcome human wickedness.
Exemples pédagogiques
- They were afraid of the wickedness they saw in the war.
- The leader's wickedness caused pain for many people.
- Some people fight against wickedness in their community.
- Stories often show the struggle between goodness and wickedness.
- Her speech warned about the danger of human wickedness.
Nom
C1
event
2
a particular wicked or evil act
One very bad or evil action.
Schéma d’usage :
an act of wickedness
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may not realize that 'wickedness' can be countable in this sense and is often used with 'an act of'. In formal writing, say 'an act of wickedness' rather than simply *'a wickedness'*, which can sound odd or old-fashioned.
Synonymes
atrocity (A very cruel or violent act, especially in war or conflict; focuses strongly on horror and cruelty.)
|
crime (Any illegal act; can include wickedness but also minor offenses that may not feel morally shocking.)
|
evil deed (Plain, descriptive phrase for a morally very bad action.)
Antonymes
good deed (A kind or morally good act, directly contrasting with a wicked act.)
|
act of kindness (Focuses on care and help to others rather than moral wrong.)
Collocations
an act of wickedness
|this wickedness
|such wickedness
|unspeakable wickedness
|their wickedness
|punish the wickedness
Thèmes
ethics
|law
|religion
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The judge described the murder as an act of pure wickedness.
- History will remember this invasion as a great wickedness against a peaceful nation.
- The community refused to stay silent about the wickedness committed in their name.
- She dedicated her life to repairing the damage done by her father's wickedness.
- Witnesses struggled to find words strong enough to describe the wickedness they had seen.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The attack was a terrible wickedness.
- People marched in the streets to protest this wickedness.
- He could not forget the wickedness he had done.
- They want justice for the wickedness against the children.
- The film shows the wickedness of the crime clearly.
Nom
informal
C1
entity
3
playful or cheeky mischief
A fun kind of bad behavior, like teasing or little tricks, that is not truly harmful.
Schéma d’usage :
a hint of wickedness in [someone/something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may think this always means serious evil. In light, social contexts, 'wickedness' can describe playful teasing or mild naughtiness. Check the tone: if people are laughing or talking about jokes and flirting, it usually refers to mischief, not real moral evil.
Synonymes
mischief (Very close in meaning; suggests playful trouble or harmlessly bad behavior.)
|
naughtiness (Often used for children or light, playful disobedience; can sound slightly childish.)
|
cheekiness (Stresses bold or slightly rude behavior done in a humorous or charming way.)
Antonymes
innocence (Suggests complete lack of bad intention or mischief.)
|
seriousness (Opposite in mood; focuses on being proper and not playful or naughty.)
Collocations
a touch of wickedness
|a hint of wickedness
|eyes full of wickedness
|smile of wickedness
|a little wickedness
|a playful wickedness
Thèmes
humor
|relationships
|personality
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- There was a flash of wickedness in his smile as he planned the surprise.
- Her eyes sparkled with wickedness when she joked about his old haircut.
- The comedian's gentle wickedness made fun of everyone without truly offending anybody.
- He loved the slight wickedness in her humor; it kept conversations exciting.
- Their friendship was full of shared jokes and a harmless wickedness that only they understood.
Exemples pédagogiques
- She smiled with a little wickedness in her eyes.
- He joked about his boss with friendly wickedness.
- There is a touch of wickedness in her sense of humor.
- The children planned some harmless wickedness for April Fools' Day.
- I like the wickedness in his jokes because they are funny, not mean.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
wickedness
API
GB/wˈɪkɪdnəs/
US/wˈɪkɪdnəs/
Syllabes et accentuation
wicked - ness (2 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (wicked)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: wickedness
- Plural: wickedness
Famille de mots
Expressions
Aucune expression n’est encore associée à cette entrée.