Heinous
/ˈheɪnəs/
adjectiveC2
Definition
Heinous means extremely bad or evil, usually describing actions or crimes that cause strong feelings of shock and disgust. It is used to show that something is not just wrong but very terrible and hateful.
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See It in Action
Describing very bad or evil actions, especially crimes
- •The court punished him for his heinous crimes.
- •The community was shocked by the heinous act of violence.
- •Heinous offenses like murder are punished severely.
Used to express strong moral condemnation
- •The politician condemned the heinous treatment of prisoners.
- •Many people called the attack a heinous violation of human rights.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "heinous" like "bad," but MUCH stronger and more serious—like the worst kind of bad you can imagine.
- ✓Picture a dark, scary scene in a movie where something very cruel or terrible happens.
- ✓It's the feeling when you hear about a very cruel crime that makes you feel shocked and upset.
- ✓Sounds like "HAY-nus" → imagine someone shouting "Hey, no!" strongly because something very wrong is happening.
- ✓Think of stories or news about very serious crimes like murder or cruelty where people say "That was heinous."
- ✓NOT like "bad" (can be small mistakes or accidents), "heinous" is for very serious, shocking evil acts.
- ✓NOT like "mean" (which can be small or personal), "heinous" is about very serious moral wrongs.
- ✓NOT like "terrible" (can be about accidents or feelings), "heinous" is about very evil actions by people.
Try Other Words
- •Atrocious: extremely bad or cruel (Use when emphasizing cruelty or shocking nature)
- •Horrible: very bad or unpleasant (Use in less formal or emotional contexts)
- •Evil: morally very bad or wrong (Use when focusing on moral wrongness or wickedness)
- •Monstrous: very cruel or shocking (Use when emphasizing unnatural cruelty or size of the wrong)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no clear prefix or suffix; root from old French/Latin)
- •Etymology: From Old French "heinous," from Latin "horrendus" meaning "horrible" or "to shudder"
- •Historical development: Used since Middle English to describe things causing horror or disgust
- •Modern usage: Commonly used in law, news, and moral discussions to describe very serious crimes or acts
Reflect & Connect
•What kinds of actions or events do you think deserve to be called heinous? Why?
•How does labeling something as heinous affect how people react to it?
Fill in the blanks
1.The court sentenced him because his crime was ___ and caused great harm to many people.
2.People feel strong anger and sadness when they hear about ___ acts like cruelty or violence.
3.Unlike a small mistake, a ___ action shows serious moral wrongness.
4.The phrase "heinous crime" is often used in news reports to describe ___ offenses.
5.When someone calls an act heinous, they mean it is ___ and unacceptable in society.
6.The government promised to punish ___ behavior with the highest penalties.
7.Not every bad action is heinous; it must be very ___ and shocking to use this word.