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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
With that said, the overall dearth of humor is a more damning sin. Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 13 Mar. 2025 In a change election resulting in the closest popular vote since 2000, hypocrisy was a fatal sin. Rob Richie, Twin Cities, 12 Mar. 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
  • Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, celebrates the beginning of spring and the the triumph of good over evil.
    Dominick Williams, Kansas City Star, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Valentin looking evil as hell in his green collar :) Chelsea’s bright yellow caftan is so hopeful and so sad, somehow.
    Emma Specter, Vogue, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Moreover, the term body count itself carries a strong undercurrent of shame, particularly toward women.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Doing nothing is no longer an option for schools, teen says Around the country, as cases like Mani's continue to pop up, experts expect that shame prevents most victims from coming forward to flag abuses, suspecting that the problem is much more widespread than media reports suggest.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 4 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • However, economists say trade deficits aren’t a sign of national weakness.
    Time, Time, 9 Apr. 2025
  • The dollar strengthened after days of weakness, and oil rose back above $60, starting to climb out of a danger zone.
    Ben Berkowitz, Axios, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Last year, Wheeler served two days in Vernon County jail on six trespassing convictions from 2020, 2022 and 2023.
    Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 31 Mar. 2025
  • Reality check: Municipalities could still cite trespassing laws as the reason for removal, but IDHR and advocates say removal and fines just for being unhoused is a violation.
    Carrie Shepherd, Axios, 19 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station watch commander informed the Times no crime had taken place at the residence.
    Mackenzie Cummings-Grady, Billboard, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Based on the investigation so far, Arlington police believe the attack on Adeyemo-Azeez — by a man released on bond after a previous violent crime — was random.
    Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 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
  • In short, the Chicago area has a history of red-light camera corruption.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Confidential finds a powerful political lobbyist shot to death, his apparent suicide highlighting a bizarre turn in Ohio’s largest public corruption case accidentaly uncovered by federal investigators that was nearly concealed by loose super PAC campaign financing rules.
    Matt Grobar, Deadline, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • None of that, obviously, defines them as people or reduces them to objects of pity.
    Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The woman hummed softly, lower lip jutting out, expression a little too close to pity for Sam’s liking.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 12 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sin. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.

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