vice

noun

ˈvīs How to pronounce vice (audio)
Definition of vicenext
1
as in corruption
immoral conduct or practices harmful or offensive to society that section of the city is legendary for crime and vice

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in weakness
a defect in character curiosity in children is not a vice, but something to be encouraged

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in prostitution
the practice of engaging in sexual activities for money a seedy section of the city where vice is rampant and very much out in the open

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun vice contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of vice are crime, offense, scandal, and sin. While all these words mean "a transgression of law," vice applies to a habit or practice that degrades or corrupts.

regarded gambling as a vice

When would crime be a good substitute for vice?

The meanings of crime and vice largely overlap; however, crime implies a serious offense punishable by the law of the state.

the crime of murder

When is it sensible to use offense instead of vice?

While in some cases nearly identical to vice, offense applies to the infraction of any law, rule, or code.

at that school no offense went unpunished

When could scandal be used to replace vice?

The words scandal and vice can be used in similar contexts, but scandal applies to an offense that outrages the public conscience.

a career ruined by a sex scandal

In what contexts can sin take the place of vice?

In some situations, the words sin and vice are roughly equivalent. However, sin implies an offense against moral or religious law.

the sin of blasphemy

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for vice
  1. corruption
  2. weakness
  3. prostitution
  4. sin
  5. fault
  6. evil
  7. shortcoming
  8. immorality
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
  • Democrats had controlled the White House from 1933 until 1952, when Republican Dwight Eisenhower, a World War II leader who promised to end the Korean War and to uproot corruption in Washington, beat their lackluster presidential candidate, Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson.
    — Time, Time, 23 July 2025
Definition of corruption
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
Definition of weakness
Noun
  • The men face charges of solicitation of prostitution, a felony in Texas punishable with up two years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
    — Sarah Bahari, Dallas News, 5 Apr. 2023
  • Street prostitution has been an issue on Capp Street in the Mission District for decades.
    — Fifth & Mission Podcast, San Francisco Chronicle, 9 Feb. 2023
Definition of prostitution
Noun
  • Plated with vegan sour cream or traditional Icelandic skyr and a pile of pickled veggies, their rotating flavors include options like daal, chile sin carne and smoked tofu (3,200 ISK for 10).
    — New York Times, New York Times, 24 July 2025
  • Promoting something that God defines as sin is in itself sin.
    — EW.com, EW.com, 18 July 2025
Definition of sin
Noun
  • State officials initially tried to put fault on the NWS early on in the flood recovery efforts, claiming the agency did not properly convey the storm's threat, but experts have since said the warnings issued were as timely and accurate as could have been expected.
    — Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • The two men immediately began arguing over who was at fault, cops said.
    — Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 12 July 2025
Definition of fault
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
  • Dealing with this colorful psychopath, Christian Bale's hero wrestles with personal choices and his gig as Gotham's resident protector in a white-knuckle affair about the fine line between good and evil.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 July 2025
Definition of evil
Noun
  • At the same time, the broader AI industry is also grappling with how to address important shortcomings and privacy concerns around the technology.
    — Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 17 July 2025
  • But in spite of these successes, Einstein’s theory also has shortcomings.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 16 July 2025
Definition of shortcoming
Noun
  • In a Code world, no film should risk lowering an audience’s moral standards nor should evil or immorality be presented except as a cautionary tale.
    — Betsy Golden Kellem, JSTOR Daily, 25 June 2025
  • Omari’s father, Hassan (J. Paul Nicholas), is the conservative Muslim governor of Mombasa, fond of attacking the immorality in nightclubs like the Moto Moto, where most of Goddess is set, though he’s withdrawn from his reelection campaign after an illness.
    — Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 21 May 2025
Definition of immorality
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.

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vicars
vice
vice admiral
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Cite this Entry

“Vice.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vice. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on vice

Nglish: Translation of vice for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about vice

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