Vile | Definition of vile by Merriam-Webster

Full Definition of VILE

1

a : morally despicable or abhorrent <nothing is so vile as intellectual dishonesty>

b : physically repulsive : foul <a vile slum>

2

: of little worth or account : common; also : mean

3

: tending to degrade <vile employments>

4

: disgustingly or utterly bad : obnoxious, contemptible <vile weather> <had a vile temper>

— vile·ly \ˈvī(-ə)l-lē\ adverb

— vile·ness noun

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Origin of VILE

Middle English, from Anglo-French vil, from Latin vilis

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to VILE

Synonyms: black, dark, evil, immoral, iniquitous, nefarious, rotten, sinful, unethical, unlawful, unrighteous, unsavory, vicious, bad, villainous, wicked, wrong

Antonyms: decent, ethical, good, honest, honorable, just, moral, right, righteous, sublime, upright, virtuous

Synonym Discussion of VILE

base, low, vile mean deserving of contempt because of the absence of higher values. base stresses the ignoble and may suggest cruelty, treachery, greed, or grossness <base motives>. low may connote crafty cunning, vulgarity, or immorality and regularly implies an outraging of one's sense of decency or propriety <refused to listen to such low talk>. vile, the strongest of these words, tends to suggest disgusting depravity or filth <a vile remark>.