These adjectives describe persons, qualities or actions that are morally base, malicious or malevolent. Depraved is perhaps the most sinister word. It points to utter perversion, meaning, by derivation, completely bad or totally immoral. In its most common use, it suggests a compulsive or wilful turning away from the good, indicating a warped character or a twisted mind: a depraved sadist; depraved taste. Where depraved tends to be absolute, degenerate is relative, implying a descent from a higher state or better condition. It may indicate moral, physical or mental deterioration from a standard or norm: the degenerate heir to a fortune; the decline of a degenerate empire; a degenerate drug addict. Since degenerate focuses on the results of degradation, however, it is commonly applied to persons or things that may never have been normal to start with: a sexual degenerate ; degenerate habits. Corrupt is clearer than degenerate in its implication of a lapse from a better condition, even when the resulting adulteration has totally vitiated any positive values that may originally have been present. But where degenerate is applied to very low specimens of humanity, corrupt is often used of persons in high positions whose moral decay may not be apparent on the surface: a corrupt government shot through with graft, vice and venality; a corrupt official who was always receptive to a bribe.

Wicked and evil are both general words with wide application. Evil means morally bad: evil practices; evil companions. In an abstract sense, it is the polar opposite of good and can suggest utter and insidious malevolence: the eternal struggle between good and evil forces in the moral universe. Hence evil can be a much stronger word than wicked , which implies sinfulness and may sound downright old-fashioned: a wicked and unrepentant old reprobate. Wicked is now often used in a humorous, tongue-in-cheek or even admiring way: a tennis player with a wicked serve.

Vile suggests something noxious or loathsome in its depravity, something utterly despicable or repulsive. A corrupt official might present a pleasant or attractive appearance, but vile indicates disgusting qualities that are readily apparent: a vile mass of putrescence. Vile may, however, be used in a looser sense as a colourful intensive of awful or terrible.

• What vile weather!; She’s in a vile mood; Don’t use such vile language.

Villainous suggests egregious wickedness and can be applied disapprovingly to anyone thought guilty of evil behaviour: a villainous traitor. Even more than wicked , however, villainous now imparts an old-fashioned, melodramatic flavour to a denunciation: The villainous scoundrel absconded with her life’s savings; a villainous deed.

Unlike the other words in this set, infamous refers to notoriety and ill fame, indicating a vile reputation. It points to evil that has gained wide publicity or that deserves universal condemnation and it may apply to a person, action or place: the infamous commandant of Auschwitz; the infamous Nazi concentration camp; his infamous act of treason. Nefarious is the most formal word in the group and the word least often encountered. It may suggest a glaring disregard for law or accepted morality, or a shocking disrespect for things that are worthy of reverence. It often has implications of premeditated group activity that is clandestine and underhand: a nefarious dope ring; a nefarious scheme. Vicious calls to mind a mean, snarling animal baring its fangs and preparing to attack. It is used to describe persons, things or ways of acting that are cruel or brutal, whether or not an evil act is intended: a vicious dog; a vicious gunman. Vicious may also mean spiteful or malicious, as in a vicious lie; evil or depraved , as in vicious associates; or morally injurious, as in vicious habits. Heinous comes from an Old French word meaning to hate. It is applied to something so atrocious as to inspire hatred, horror or outrage: Jack the Ripper’s heinous crimes. The word heinous , however, is distinctly high-flown or old fashioned in flavour.