adj Uncommon

sinful

SIHNFL

Sinful (adj) means Guilty of, or characterized by, sin; morally wrong. Example: “The preacher warned against sinful temptations.”

adj

Guilty of, or characterized by, sin; morally wrong.

"The preacher warned against sinful temptations."

Informally, deliciously indulgent or excessive, often about food.

"This chocolate cake is absolutely sinful."

How to use sinful

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishWicked or morally wrong — or, informally, deliciously over-indulgent.

Common pairings

sinfully rich sinful pleasure a sinful dessert

Word forms

more sinful comparative, sinfuller comparative, most sinful superlative, sinfullest superlative

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The preacher warned against _____ temptations.

Etymology

From Middle English synful, senful, sunful, from Old English synful (“sinful, guilty, wicked, corrupt”), equivalent to sin + -ful. Compare Dutch zondevol (“sinful”), German sündevoll (“sinful”), Danish syndefuld (“sinful”), Swedish syndfull (“sinful”), Icelandic syndfullur (“sinful”).

Origin: Middle English

Rhymes for sinful

painful

See all rhymes for sinful →

Frequently asked questions

What does “sinful” mean?

The word “sinful” means guilty of, or characterized by, sin; morally wrong. In plain terms, wicked or morally wrong — or, informally, deliciously over-indulgent.

How do you pronounce “sinful”?

“Sinful” is pronounced SIHNFL (/ˈsɪnfl̩/ in IPA).

How do you use “sinful” in a sentence?

Here is “sinful” used in a sentence: “The preacher warned against sinful temptations.”

What part of speech is “sinful”?

“Sinful” is an adjective.

Is “sinful” a common word?

“Sinful” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “sinful” have?

“Sinful” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: guilty of, or characterized by, sin; morally wrong.