adjective
wicked
Morally very bad, or mischievous in a playful way.
The wicked ruler punishes anyone who dares to question him.
Etymology
The older adjective directly concerns badness. Modern wicked can retain grave moral force or soften into playful mischief.
More examples
- They hatch a wicked plan to steal the widow's savings.
- She gives me a wicked grin before revealing her harmless prank.
- His wicked sense of humor keeps his friends laughing.
Forms
wicked · wickeder · wickedest
wickedness noun — The quality of being evil or mischievous.
wickedly adverb — In an evil or playfully mischievous way.
Similar words
- evil
- Emphasizes serious moral wrongdoing rather than playful mischief.
- mischievous
- Suggests playful troublemaking without the sense of serious evil.