Nefarious
/nɪˈferiəs/adjective
Doing something wrong or evil.
The nefarious actions of the dictator led to a rebellion.
Often appears as...
- nefarious plan
- nefarious scheme
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
adjective
Doing something wrong or evil.
The nefarious actions of the dictator led to a rebellion.
Often appears as...
- nefarious plan
- nefarious scheme
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Definition 1 of 1
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Connotation
Nefarious implies a deep level of wickedness, often related to serious moral offenses, not minor wrongs.
The criminal's nefarious plot was to embezzle funds from the charity.
Pro Tip 2/3High Severity
'Nefarious' suggests actions that are extremely harmful or destructive, not just bad behavior.
He was known for his nefarious deeds which caused devastation in the community.
Pro Tip 3/3Covert Operations
Nefarious activities are often secretive, done under the radar to avoid detection.
The agency uncovered the spy's nefarious activities that threatened national security.
Compare with
corruptevilimmoralmalevolentsinisterviciousvillainouswicked
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Video examples
Glenn Greenwald: Why...
but I think there's one important point worth making, which is, that accusation comes from people in the U.S. government, from people in the media who are loyalists to these various governments, and I think a lot of times when people make accusations like that about other people — "Oh, he can't really be doing this for principled reasons, he must have some corrupt, nefarious reason" —
Video examples
The science behind the...
Starving and exhausted, some of the men stumble upon a palatial home where a stunning woman welcomes them inside for a sumptuous feast. Of course, this all turns out to be too good to be true. The woman, in fact, is the nefarious sorceress Circe, and as soon as the soldiers have eaten their fill at her table,
Video examples
New ways to understand...
also preserve the sanctity and the protection for minority groups and we try to make sure that ethnic minorities that there in terms of gender we do make sure that the right protections are in place that cyberbullying doesn't exist and that we allow for the fact that if there are nefarious things going on
Video examples
Ebola - Photos From the...
of about this we went out and we went a couple of days hunting monkeys and stuff like that and then eventually I think started to get a sense that I didn't have any nefarious agenda or something they said you know if you really want to
Video examples
Snail Zombies PIPE National...
crawls into plain view of birds as the Sun rises something the snails never do on their own it's as if the worms reprogram the snails brain for their own nefarious purpose final fact some snails that have been infected actually live
Video examples
Zombie Parasites PIPE Nat...
Parasites are not degenerates, they're actually maybe the most successful life form on earth. And they do all sorts of amazing things. They were using their hosts for all sorts of nefarious purposes to get what they needed.
Video examples
The new political story...
Disorder afflicts the land, caused by powerful and nefarious forces working against the interests of humanity. But the hero will revolt against this disorder, fight those powerful forces, against the odds overthrow them
Video examples
WorldSpace: The world’s...
government headquarters not not for any nefarious reason but no one still has a way of taking this information and spreading the ideas that these information caddy there so these are some of the ways by which
Video examples
The Prison Break PIPE Think...
The world is in robots have taken over, and only Ethic can set things right. In order to do so, they’ll need to collect three powerful artifacts that are being used for nefarious purposes across the land.
Video examples
Can you solve the...
when facing two opponents simultaneously. This sort of counterintuitive result is why misleading statistics are a favored tool of unscrupulous politicians and nefarious Diskymon trainers alike.
Video examples
Glenn Greenwald: Why...
but I think there's one important point worth making, which is, that accusation comes from people in the U.S. government, from people in the media who are loyalists to these various governments, and I think a lot of times when people make accusations like that about other people — "Oh, he can't really be doing this for principled reasons, he must have some corrupt, nefarious reason" —
Video examples
The science behind the...
Starving and exhausted, some of the men stumble upon a palatial home where a stunning woman welcomes them inside for a sumptuous feast. Of course, this all turns out to be too good to be true. The woman, in fact, is the nefarious sorceress Circe, and as soon as the soldiers have eaten their fill at her table,
Video examples
New ways to understand...
also preserve the sanctity and the protection for minority groups and we try to make sure that ethnic minorities that there in terms of gender we do make sure that the right protections are in place that cyberbullying doesn't exist and that we allow for the fact that if there are nefarious things going on
Video examples
Ebola - Photos From the...
of about this we went out and we went a couple of days hunting monkeys and stuff like that and then eventually I think started to get a sense that I didn't have any nefarious agenda or something they said you know if you really want to
Video examples
Snail Zombies PIPE National...
crawls into plain view of birds as the Sun rises something the snails never do on their own it's as if the worms reprogram the snails brain for their own nefarious purpose final fact some snails that have been infected actually live
Video examples
Zombie Parasites PIPE Nat...
Parasites are not degenerates, they're actually maybe the most successful life form on earth. And they do all sorts of amazing things. They were using their hosts for all sorts of nefarious purposes to get what they needed.
Video examples
The new political story...
Disorder afflicts the land, caused by powerful and nefarious forces working against the interests of humanity. But the hero will revolt against this disorder, fight those powerful forces, against the odds overthrow them
Video examples
WorldSpace: The world’s...
government headquarters not not for any nefarious reason but no one still has a way of taking this information and spreading the ideas that these information caddy there so these are some of the ways by which
Video examples
The Prison Break PIPE Think...
The world is in robots have taken over, and only Ethic can set things right. In order to do so, they’ll need to collect three powerful artifacts that are being used for nefarious purposes across the land.
Video examples
Can you solve the...
when facing two opponents simultaneously. This sort of counterintuitive result is why misleading statistics are a favored tool of unscrupulous politicians and nefarious Diskymon trainers alike.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Andrew Gross
American Author
I don't like writing straight-up thrillers. I like writing about families hurled into crisis and danger - soccer moms and regular dads and husbands who might have to rescue their daughters or who are, say, hedge fund managers and have one foot on the sidelines watching their kids and the other in nefarious cover-ups and conspiracies.
Quote examples
Anthony Scaramucci
American Businessman
I'm focused on leaks that hurt the institution of the president and the president himself. I understand we have to leak things to reporters to help shape policy or try to balloon things or do tests on ideas or people for different jobs. I'm talking about nefarious, unnecessary, backstabbing, palace intrigue-like leaks.
Quote examples
James Comey
American Public Servant
ISIL's widespread reach through the Internet and social media is most concerning, as the group has proven dangerously competent at employing such tools for its nefarious strategy. ISIL uses high-quality, traditional media platforms as well as widespread social media campaigns to propagate its extremist ideology.
Quote examples
Matthew Walker
English Scientist
The gross demonstration of caffeine is that it prevents you from falling asleep. The slightly more nefarious aspect of caffeine is that maybe you can fall asleep, but we know that the depth of deep sleep you're getting if caffeine is still in your system is severely less.
Quote examples
Cliff Stearns
American Politician
The Spy Act strikes a right balance between preserving legitimate and benign uses of this technology, while still, at the same time, protecting unwitting consumers from the harm caused when it is misused and, of course, designed for nefarious purposes.
Quote examples
Jared Cohen
American Businessman
I want to use the best technology we have at our disposal to begin to take on trolling and other nefarious tactics that give hostile voices disproportionate weight. To do everything we can to level the playing field.
Quote examples
Ron Lewis
American Politician
Identity theft involving these cards is a growing form of white collar crime, facilitating illegal immigration, banking and accounting fraud, tax evasion, and other nefarious activities.
Quote examples
Jason Alexander
American Actor
Usually, characters that are doing something nefarious have some extra layers to them. The general rule is bad people don't necessarily think they are bad.
Quote examples
Brandi Rhodes
American Wrestler
I'm true to myself, but I always have a soft spot for my husband no matter how nefarious I am.
Quote examples
Sean Spicer
American Public Servant
To be clear, any attempt to hack or to do anything nefarious is wrong and illegal.
Quote examples
Andrew Gross
American Author
I don't like writing straight-up thrillers. I like writing about families hurled into crisis and danger - soccer moms and regular dads and husbands who might have to rescue their daughters or who are, say, hedge fund managers and have one foot on the sidelines watching their kids and the other in nefarious cover-ups and conspiracies.
Quote examples
Anthony Scaramucci
American Businessman
I'm focused on leaks that hurt the institution of the president and the president himself. I understand we have to leak things to reporters to help shape policy or try to balloon things or do tests on ideas or people for different jobs. I'm talking about nefarious, unnecessary, backstabbing, palace intrigue-like leaks.
Quote examples
James Comey
American Public Servant
ISIL's widespread reach through the Internet and social media is most concerning, as the group has proven dangerously competent at employing such tools for its nefarious strategy. ISIL uses high-quality, traditional media platforms as well as widespread social media campaigns to propagate its extremist ideology.
Quote examples
Matthew Walker
English Scientist
The gross demonstration of caffeine is that it prevents you from falling asleep. The slightly more nefarious aspect of caffeine is that maybe you can fall asleep, but we know that the depth of deep sleep you're getting if caffeine is still in your system is severely less.
Quote examples
Cliff Stearns
American Politician
The Spy Act strikes a right balance between preserving legitimate and benign uses of this technology, while still, at the same time, protecting unwitting consumers from the harm caused when it is misused and, of course, designed for nefarious purposes.
Quote examples
Jared Cohen
American Businessman
I want to use the best technology we have at our disposal to begin to take on trolling and other nefarious tactics that give hostile voices disproportionate weight. To do everything we can to level the playing field.
Quote examples
Ron Lewis
American Politician
Identity theft involving these cards is a growing form of white collar crime, facilitating illegal immigration, banking and accounting fraud, tax evasion, and other nefarious activities.
Quote examples
Jason Alexander
American Actor
Usually, characters that are doing something nefarious have some extra layers to them. The general rule is bad people don't necessarily think they are bad.
Quote examples
Brandi Rhodes
American Wrestler
I'm true to myself, but I always have a soft spot for my husband no matter how nefarious I am.
Quote examples
Sean Spicer
American Public Servant
To be clear, any attempt to hack or to do anything nefarious is wrong and illegal.
Example 1 of 10
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