sin 1 of 2

noun

ˈsin How to pronounce sin (audio)
Definition of sinnext
1
as in offence
a breaking of a moral or legal code a child old enough to know that lying is a sin

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2
as in evil
that which is morally unacceptable a minister who worries that modern society has abandoned the concept of sin

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3
as in sinfulness
immoral conduct or practices harmful or offensive to society a sordid section of the city that is mainly known for sin and degradation

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4
as in shame
a regrettable or blameworthy act it's a sin to waste food when people are starving

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5
as in weakness
a defect in character my besetting sin is impatience—I hate to wait for anything

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sin

2 of 2

verb

as in to trespass
to commit an offense bless me, Father, for I have sinned

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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
The church must name abuse as sin and reject any misuse of Scripture that justifies endurance in violence. —Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 19 Oct. 2025 And my mom used to say, your sins will find you out. —ABC News, 19 Oct. 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
  1. evil
  2. shame
  3. weakness
  4. trespass
  5. crime
  6. bad
  7. corruption
  8. pity
Noun
  • Another classic Halloween costume with plenty of room for creativity is the infamous evil clown, Joker (Joaquin Phoenix).
    — Emma Kershaw, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
  • The Bible never calls wine evil – only the overindulgence of it.
    — Lauren Green, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2025
Definition of evil
Noun
  • There were no songs from that album in the mix, which is a shame.
    — Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Menopause is a perfect time to expand your definition of intimacy, and that means removing the shame from having open and honest conversations.
    — Essence, Essence, 23 Oct. 2025
Definition of shame
Noun
  • Los Angeles' bullpen is the team's biggest weakness, and Snell is helping to cover it up by giving the Dodgers longer starts.
    — Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
  • According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, CMT causes a range of sensory and motor symptoms, including numbness, tingling, pain, muscle weakness and atrophy — deterioration in cells, tissues, and organs.
    — Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 24 Oct. 2025
Definition of weakness
Verb
  • More than two years after the fatal shooting, Lorincz maintained her side of the story that the kids had trespassed on her property and threatened her life.
    — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025
  • On Monday, authorities received reports of a shirtless man trespassing at a residence in Bedias – located about 150 miles south of Alvarado – the previous day, the Grimes County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
    — Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2025
Definition of trespass
Noun
  • Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage?
    — Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025
  • As Robert Kalmey observes, this moment encapsulates what Roman historians thought of as the worst of all of Octavius’s crimes against the state before becoming emperor.
    — JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 23 Oct. 2025
Definition of crime
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
Definition of bad
Noun
  • Now its economy has collapsed under the weight of corruption, mismanagement, human rights violations and other woes.
    — Diane Brady, Fortune, 29 Oct. 2025
  • That’s what happened in October 2019, when demonstrations against corruption and high unemployment broke out across Iraq, leading to street clashes that left hundreds of people dead.
    — Robert F. Worth, The Atlantic, 28 Oct. 2025
Definition of corruption
Noun
  • At these intersections, pity and fear collide.
    — Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Some earlier African intellectuals looked at Black America with pity, even disdain.
    — Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Definition of pity

Browse Nearby Words

simultaneousness
sin
since
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Cite this Entry

“Sin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sin. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sin

Nglish: Translation of sin for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sin

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