heinous deed

USAGE SUMMARY

"heinous deed" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to an especially bad or evil act, usually a crime. For example, "The murderer had committed a heinous deed and was convicted in court."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Oh heinous deed!

The Guardian - Opinion

For example, a New Yorker reader (who, by definition, must be a thoughtful, basically kind person) e-mails me, apropos my current Comment: Mosques symbolize the religion in whose name the heinous deed was done.

The New Yorker

Those who would try to tout this as a sectarian issue do an injustice to the people of Egypt in all their religions.Similarly, Fahmi Huwaydi questions whether such attacks would have occurred in a more cohesive and stable Egyptian society, in al-Shorouk, an independent daily:What is it that imbued these killers with the audacity to go forward with this most heinous deed?

The Economist

Lauren Leone Baker's Jill Mason almost too perfectly provides the Eve in Paradise catalyst for Alan's heinous deed.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

"Art thou not sorry for these heinous deeds?" Lucius asks, idiotlike, after Aaron has described in savory detail the grisly murders he's arranged.

The New York Times

No matter what heinous deeds his characters perpetrate, they exude the sense of someone who expects to be caught out any minute.

The New York Times

That should make dictators and warlords wary everywhere, and especially in Africa, site of so many heinous deeds in recent decades.In this section History rules Al-Qaeda is down, but far from out Deathless data Light and shady ReprintsFor decades, the only head of state to be convicted by an international court was Karl Dönitz, briefly Germany's leader after Hitler's suicide.

The Economist

"We hope that governor Palin will recognise, when it is brought to her attention, that the term 'blood libel' brings back painful echoes of a very dark time in our communal history when Jews were falsely accused of committing heinous deeds," the group said.

The Guardian

As he explained "It requires conducive social conditions rather than monstrous people to produce heinous deeds".

Vice

But those who repeatedly commit these terrorist acts, whether in Europe, the Western Hemisphere, Africa, Asia or the Middle East, loudly invoke their Islamic faith and teachings to justify their heinous deeds.

Huffington Post

It is true that the apathy of the majority is what allows a few people to commit heinous deeds, but the German theologian, Jürgen Moltmann, is right when he identifies apathy as the worst kind of evil.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "heinous deed" to emphasize the moral reprehensibility and shocking nature of a specific action. This phrase is most effective when the act is not only illegal but also deeply offensive to moral sensibilities.

Common error

Avoid using "heinous deed" in everyday situations or for minor offenses. This phrase carries significant weight and is best reserved for truly grave and morally offensive actions to avoid sounding hyperbolic.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "heinous deed" functions as a noun phrase modified by an adjective. It describes a specific action, emphasizing its extreme wickedness and reprehensibility. As noted by Ludwig AI, it is correct and usable in written English, usually describing a crime.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "heinous deed" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase that serves to describe an exceptionally wicked or morally reprehensible act. Ludwig AI confirms its validity for formal English writing. While the phrase is infrequent, it is most commonly found in News & Media contexts where its strong condemnatory tone is appropriate. When using this phrase, it's important to reserve it for actions of significant gravity to avoid overstatement. Related alternatives include "appalling deed" and "gruesome deed", each carrying slightly different nuances of horror or moral offense.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

appalling deed

Replaces "heinous" with "appalling", suggesting something shocking and dreadful but potentially less morally reprehensible.

gruesome deed

Replaces "heinous" with "gruesome", focusing on the horrifying or disgusting nature of the act.

horrific deed

Replaces "heinous" with "horrific", emphasizing the capacity to cause horror.

atrocious act

Replaces "deed" with "act" and "heinous" with "atrocious", indicating extreme wickedness or cruelty.

despicable act

Replaces "heinous" with "despicable", highlighting the contemptible and vile nature of the action.

nefarious act

Replaces "heinous" with "nefarious" and "deed" with "act", implying wickedness and immorality.

wicked act

Uses a more common term, "wicked", to describe the evil nature of the action.

monstrous act

Replaces "heinous" with "monstrous", indicating an action so evil it seems inhuman.

egregious offense

Shifts the focus to a formal violation or transgression, using "egregious" to emphasize the offensiveness.

criminal act

Focuses on the illegal nature of the "deed", suitable if the action is a clear violation of law.

FAQs

How can I use "heinous deed" in a sentence?

"Heinous deed" is used to describe a particularly awful or evil action. For example, "The defendant was convicted of the "heinous deed" after overwhelming evidence was presented".

What are some alternatives to "heinous deed"?

You can use alternatives such as "appalling deed", "gruesome deed", or "horrific deed" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What distinguishes a "heinous deed" from a "bad deed"?

A "heinous deed" implies a significantly greater level of evil, wickedness, or moral depravity than a simple "bad deed". "Heinous" emphasizes the shocking and reprehensible nature of the action.

Is "heinous deed" formal or informal language?

"Heinous deed" is generally considered formal and is best used in serious or official contexts, such as legal proceedings or news reports, where the gravity of the action needs to be emphasized. It is not typically used in casual conversation.