sin

14 synonyms and 5 antonyms for sin, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — In religious terms, an act that breaks a moral or divine law.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

vice

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

wrongdoing boob

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

transgression trespass iniquity misdeed wickedness sinfulness sinning sine transgress blunder goof

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

In religious terms, an act that breaks a moral or divine law.

“In many faiths, lying is considered a sin.”

transgression wrongdoing trespass iniquity misdeed vice wickedness sinfulness sinning sine

Opposites

sinlessness holiness goodness godliness righteousness

2. verb

To commit a sin; to act against moral or religious law.

“The character believes he has sinned beyond forgiveness.”

transgress boob blunder trespass goof

How to use sin

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

commit a sin a mortal sin a sin against

Etymology

From Old English synn ("sin, guilt"), traced back to a Germanic root connected to words for "truth" and "guilt" — likely originally meaning something like "being truly guilty" of a charge.

Full origin of sin →

Frequently asked questions

What does “sin” mean?

The word “sin” means in religious terms, an act that breaks a moral or divine law. In plain terms, a wrongful act, especially one that breaks a moral or religious rule.

How do you pronounce “sin”?

“Sin” is pronounced SIHN (/ˈsɪn/ in IPA).

How do you use “sin” in a sentence?

Here is “sin” used in a sentence: “In many faiths, lying is considered a sin.”

What part of speech is “sin”?

Depending on how it is used, “sin” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “sin” come from?

The word “sin” comes from Old English. From Old English synn ("sin, guilt"), traced back to a Germanic root connected to words for "truth" and "guilt" — likely originally meaning something like "being truly guilty" of a charge.

Is “sin” a common word?

“Sin” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “sin” have?

“Sin” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: in religious terms, an act that breaks a moral or divine law.

What is the difference between a sin and a crime?

A sin is an act that breaks a moral or divine law and is judged in religious or ethical terms. A crime is an act that breaks the law of a country or state and can be punished by its legal system, so an act can be a sin, a crime, both, or neither.

What is the difference between 'sin' and 'vice'?

A sin is a specific act that breaks a moral or divine law, while a vice is a habitual bad behaviour or moral weakness. In short, a sin is usually a single wrongful act, whereas a vice is an ongoing fault or bad habit.

People also searched

vice goodness righteousness holiness boob wrongdoing sine trespass wickedness sinfulness goof transgression

Nearby words

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