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as in shame
a regrettable or blameworthy act it's a sin to waste food when people are starving

Synonyms & Similar Words

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sin

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun sin contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of sin are crime, offense, scandal, and vice. While all these words mean "a transgression of law," sin implies an offense against moral or religious law.

the sin of blasphemy

When could crime be used to replace sin?

The synonyms crime and sin are sometimes interchangeable, but crime implies a serious offense punishable by the law of the state.

the crime of murder

When would offense be a good substitute for sin?

In some situations, the words offense and sin are roughly equivalent. However, offense applies to the infraction of any law, rule, or code.

at that school no offense went unpunished

Where would scandal be a reasonable alternative to sin?

While in some cases nearly identical to sin, scandal applies to an offense that outrages the public conscience.

a career ruined by a sex scandal

When is vice a more appropriate choice than sin?

The meanings of vice and sin largely overlap; however, vice applies to a habit or practice that degrades or corrupts.

regarded gambling as a vice

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sin
Noun
Darvish went 7-3 with a 3.31 ERA and 78 strikeout sin 81⅓ innings last year and then tossed two gems at Dodger Stadium (13⅔ IP, 3 ER) in the postseason. Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 July 2025 Every year, villagers in Brittany gathered to have their sins forgiven, dance the gavotte, and watch the young townsmen wrestle after denouncing the devil. Alexandra Schwartz, New Yorker, 11 July 2025
Verb
Páramo is a perfect hypocrite, sinning freely and then heading to the confession booth to take advantage of his faith’s unlimited forgiveness policy. Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Sep. 2024 This is a man who has probably sinned more times and in more areas of life than any human not currently imprisoned. Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 17 July 2024 See All Example Sentences for sin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sin
Noun
  • After a discussion about an individual’s spiritual battle between good and evil, campers then used cardboard and tape to make armor, and pool noodles for swords.
    Paul Bersebach, Oc Register, 12 July 2025
  • The sense of evil has nothing cosmic or metaphysical about it; there’s no grandeur and no wonder to Gunn’s universe and, although there’s much discussion of the defining quality of one’s actions and choices, the film’s superheroes seem thin, constrained, and undefined.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • That is a shame, as many website builders these days offer image editors.
    Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 18 July 2025
  • Unfortunately, the global version loses this connectivity, which is a shame.
    Ben Sin, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025
Noun
  • Angela, a choir director and family history consultant for her local church, was first hospitalized on March 6 complaining of dizziness and weakness.
    Christine Pelisek, People.com, 15 July 2025
  • The weakness could be due to the new 30% tariffs that President Donald Trump threatened against the European Union and Mexico over the weekend.
    Jeff Marks, CNBC, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • Police responded to the home shortly before 5 p.m. when Fahey called 911 and reported that the two men trespassed on his property.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 18 July 2025
  • Backstreet Boys singer Brian Littrell filed court documents accusing a Florida sheriff's office of failing to remove beachgoers who trespass on his oceanfront property and is asking a judge to intervene.
    Minyvonne Burke, NBC news, 17 July 2025
Noun
  • Ramirez-Verduzco's case illuminates the risk some crime victims face when interacting with local law enforcement due to current federal immigration enforcement practices.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
  • Book runs a family bookstore but also happens to possess a brilliant mind that helps the police solve crimes.
    Jenelle Riley, Variety, 15 July 2025
Noun
  • While working together on The Unit, David Mamet once told you that good drama isn’t a choice between good and bad; good drama is the choice between two bads.
    Max Gao, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Jan. 2025
  • Reports out of fall camp haven’t been super favorable to their offense, and while the defense will, again, be top-notch, a team with this bad of an offense cannot be trusted.
    Austin Mock, The Athletic, 19 Aug. 2024
Noun
  • Check if the customer database can be fully restored within a 24-hour recovery time after simulated data corruption.
    AllBusiness, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
  • Fighting rampant government corruption was Zelensky’s main campaign pledge ahead of the 2019 election.
    Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 23 July 2025
Noun
  • While less-friendly fellow robots don’t feel pity, remorse, or fear, buying agents don’t feel greed, FOMO, or brand loyalty.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • The Chinese god of the sun saw all of this from his perch in heaven and took great pity on Tung Yung.
    Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 13 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sin. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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