English vocabulary · C1
Heinous
/ˈheɪnəs/ · adj.
Heinous means extremely evil or shockingly cruel.
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Example sentences
- The court punished the heinous crime.
- The reporter uncovered a heinous scheme.
Word origin and roots
from Old French
- hainos — hateful (from Old French)
Synonyms and nuances
- WICKED — intentionally doing wrong (Morally Very Bad)
- MONSTROUS — horribly inhuman (Cruel Beyond Belief)
- ATROCIOUS — extremely bad or cruel (Shockingly Terrible)
Similar words
- evil
- vile
- wicked
Lesson notes
Heinous means extremely evil or shockingly cruel.
Related: wicked, monstrous, atrocious. Use heinous when an act is extremely evil and shocking.
The court punished the heinous crime. The reporter uncovered a heinous scheme.
From Old French. hainos means hateful. Old French hainos became English heinous. A word born from hate still marks the worst acts.