evil pleasures

USAGE SUMMARY

'evil pleasures' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe activities or substances that bring pleasure but are bad for you, such as eating too much unhealthy food or using drugs. For example: "She tried to resist the evil pleasures of junk food, but in the end she simply could not resist the temptation."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Ayoade's killer script takes evil pleasure in having Simon swallow his words and stutter through life.

The Guardian - Film

Seeing our fellows judged, and judged so definitively and emphatically, provides an evil pleasure in a country where refraining from judgment is considered a virtue.

The New York Times

Hillel Steiner goes even further by contending that there are just two components of evil: pleasure and wrongdoing.

SEP

At a time when algorithms driving data seem to take an evil pleasure in destroying our understanding of that which is real.

HuffPost

That sounds grueling, but on a train, at least, you can make good use of your time and experience the evil pleasure of glancing out the window at all the poor souls stuck in traffic.

Los Angeles Times

Of course, you will sometimes meet those people who will make you even more scared for their own evil pleasure.

WikiHow

Evil, evil, evil.

TechCrunch

Some, for instance, are concerned with the notion of pleasure as a good and pain as an evil; with pleasure as a supplement of activity supporting its connection with happiness; with the relation between virtues and vices; with virtue as a mean; and with the concept of the involuntary and the conditions of responsibility.

SEP

His view therefore involved a value-asymmetry, with pain a much greater evil than pleasure is a good.

SEP

Those things should include lamentations of his lost youth, the suppleness of my 27-year-old breasts and ruminations about good, evil, and pleasure.

Vice

The Stones' music and performance are about the stuff they do offstage; their art and their public image aren't about kaleidoscope rainbows of easy delight but about the quasi-demonic pleasure of evil and the evil of pleasure.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "evil pleasures" to vividly describe temptations or indulgences that carry a sense of moral conflict or potential harm. This phrase is most effective when highlighting the contrast between enjoyment and negative consequences.

Common error

Avoid using "evil pleasures" to describe simple, harmless indulgences. This phrase carries a strong connotation of moral wrong, so reserve it for situations where the pleasure truly involves a sense of transgression or harmful impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "evil pleasures" functions primarily as a noun phrase where the adjective "evil" modifies the noun "pleasures". It denotes specific instances or types of enjoyment deemed morally reprehensible. Ludwig AI indicates the expression is correct but has few real-world examples.

Expression frequency: Missing

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "evil pleasures" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe enjoyment derived from something considered morally wrong or harmful. As highlighted by Ludwig, the phrase has limited examples in common usage. While similar to "guilty pleasures", it carries a stronger connotation of moral transgression. When writing, use "evil pleasures" to emphasize ethical conflicts, but avoid overusing it in casual contexts. While the usage examples are limited, the phrase can be valuable in analytical, descriptive or literary writing when a strong ethical impact is desired.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

guilty pleasures

Focuses on the feeling of guilt associated with enjoying something indulgent or frivolous, without necessarily implying inherent evil.

dark delights

Emphasizes the alluring and mysterious aspect of pleasures considered taboo or transgressive.

sinful indulgences

Highlights the religious or moral transgression involved in excessive enjoyment.

immoral amusements

Directly addresses the lack of moral principles in the activities that bring pleasure.

wicked joys

Uses 'wicked' to suggest a playful, mischievous kind of badness in the pleasures.

forbidden fruits

Alludes to the idea of pleasures that are tempting because they are prohibited.

perverse gratification

Implies that the pleasure derived is abnormal or unacceptable.

nefarious delights

Emphasizes the extreme wickedness or villainy associated with the pleasures.

depraved satisfaction

Highlights the moral corruption and degradation involved in the pleasurable experience.

unholy bliss

Combines a sense of sacredness with something profane, creating a contrasting effect.

FAQs

How can I use "evil pleasures" in a sentence?

You can use "evil pleasures" to describe things that are enjoyable but morally questionable or harmful. For example: "She succumbed to the "evil pleasures" of gossip, even though she knew it hurt others."

What phrases are similar to "evil pleasures"?

Similar phrases include "guilty pleasures", "dark delights", or "sinful indulgences", which all suggest enjoyment derived from something morally dubious.

Is "evil pleasures" a formal or informal expression?

"Evil pleasures" can be used in both formal and informal contexts, depending on the subject matter and the tone. However, it is generally more common in descriptive or literary writing where a strong impact is desired.

What's the difference between "evil pleasures" and "guilty pleasures"?

"Evil pleasures" implies a stronger moral judgment and suggests that the source of pleasure is inherently wrong or harmful. "Guilty pleasures", on the other hand, simply suggests that the pleasure is something one might feel ashamed of enjoying, even if it isn't necessarily harmful.