Nefarious
Pronunciation: /nɪˈfɛəriəs/
adjective
Difficulty: Intermediate
Definition of Nefarious
Wicked, villainous, or criminal; extremely immoral or evil.
Origin of Nefarious
Language of origin: Latin
Root word: nefarius
Original meaning: wicked, abominable
From Latin "nefarius" meaning "wicked, abominable," from "nefas" (wrong, sin)
How to Remember Nefarious
Sounds like "ne-FEAR-ious" — so evil it inspires fear in others.
Synonyms for Nefarious
- wicked
- evil
- villainous
- criminal
- sinister
- heinous
Antonyms of Nefarious
- virtuous
- righteous
- noble
- honorable
- benevolent
Nefarious in a Sentence
- The nefarious scheme to defraud investors was uncovered by federal agents.
- Comic book villains are often portrayed with nefarious plans for world domination.
- The company engaged in nefarious practices that exploited vulnerable communities.
Usage Notes
Used to describe actions, schemes, or people of extreme wickedness. Stronger than simply "bad" or "wrong."
Why Nefarious Matters for GRE & SAT
Common in GRE Reading Comprehension passages describing villains, corruption, or unethical behavior. Often contrasted with benevolent or virtuous.
Word Family
- nefariously (adverb)
- in a nefarious manner
- nefariousness (noun)
- the quality of being nefarious
Related Words
More Vocabulary Words Starting with N
- nadir — the absolute lowest point or worst moment
- nadir — the absolute lowest point or worst moment
- naive — showing a lack of experience or judgment
- naive — showing a lack of experience or judgment
- narrate — To give an account of events or experiences
- narrate — To give an account of events or experiences
- nascent — in the process of emerging, being born, or starting to develop
- nascent — in the process of emerging, being born, or starting to develop
- negate — To make ineffective; to nullify
- negate — To nullify; make ineffective