What does heinous mean?
Heinous is a formal, strongly evaluative adjective meaning extremely wicked, cruel, or detestable. It is commonly used in discussions of crimes, atrocities, abuses of power, and other grave moral wrongs, as in “a heinous crime.” The word can also be used figuratively for something exceptionally objectionable or harmful, although this broader use may sound deliberately heightened or rhetorical. Heinous is more emphatic than words such as bad, wrong, or terrible, so using it for minor problems can weaken its force or sound exaggerated. Its historical connection with ideas of winter and harshness survives mainly in its Latin ancestry, while its established modern meaning is associated with moral condemnation. Knowing the word’s strong register and intensity helps speakers choose it appropriately: it is particularly effective in legal, historical, journalistic, and literary contexts where the seriousness of the subject is unmistakable.
adjectiveExtremely wicked, cruel, or detestable; by extension, so objectionable as to evoke strong disapproval.
- Extremely wicked, cruel, or morally objectionable.
- Very objectionable or seriously harmful in a non-moral or figurative sense.
"The court described the attack as a heinous act of violence."
"The tribunal condemned the massacre as a heinous violation of international law."
"The committee described the proposal as a heinous waste of public resources."
Heinous carries a double chill: its distant roots connect it with the Latin language of winter, but modern English uses it for acts of extreme wickedness.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Words that share this root
Related word forms
How heinous is actually used
Heinous is strongly emphatic and generally formal, literary, or legal in register. It is more intense than merely bad or wrong and should be reserved for genuinely grave moral or practical failings.