heinous
1 synonym and 1 antonym for heinous, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adjective — Shockingly evil or wicked, especially describing a crime.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Antonyms
How to use heinous
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
heinous crime
heinous act
A strong, formal word, common in legal and news contexts rather than everyday speech.
Etymology
From Old French haïneus, "hateful," itself from haïr, "to hate" — tracing back to a Frankish word for hatred.
Full origin of heinous →Frequently asked questions
What does “heinous” mean?
The word “heinous” means shockingly evil or wicked, especially describing a crime. In plain terms, extremely wicked or shockingly bad — used almost exclusively for serious crimes and cruelty.
How do you pronounce “heinous”?
“Heinous” is pronounced HAY-nuhs (/ˈheɪnəs/ in IPA).
How do you use “heinous” in a sentence?
Here is “heinous” used in a sentence: “The judge called it one of the most heinous crimes he'd ever seen.”
What is the opposite of “heinous”?
The opposite of “heinous” — its antonyms — is unheinous.
What part of speech is “heinous”?
“Heinous” is an adjective.
Where does the word “heinous” come from?
The word “heinous” comes from Old French. From Old French haïneus, "hateful," itself from haïr, "to hate" — tracing back to a Frankish word for hatred.
Is “heinous” a common word?
“Heinous” is an uncommon word in modern English.
