thoroughly evil

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "thoroughly evil" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe someone or something that is completely or entirely malevolent or wicked. Example: "The villain in the story was portrayed as thoroughly evil, with no redeeming qualities whatsoever."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

Thoroughly evil.

The Guardian - Film

"What you have done is thoroughly evil," said Judge Garret E. Brown Jr. of United States District Court in Trenton.

The New York Times

Painting Communism as universally and thoroughly evil is part of an ongoing ideological battle to petrify the historiography of the cold war.

The New York Times

John is shown to be thoroughly evil — a descriptor used by several interviewees — and the story freely presents him as a monster.

The New Yorker

But if judges accept his plea of sanity, Breivik will claim to have emerged the trial's triumphant victor and his gross acts of violence will be seen to have been the work of a thoroughly evil, but logical perpetrator.

Independent

But that's the strangeness of "Hero," which pledges allegiance to two theatrical styles, the commercial musical and agitprop drama, with its impeccably decent good guys and thoroughly evil bad guys.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

It was what I can only describe as a thoroughly dirty, evil laugh, and I probably imagined it, although I didn't stick around long enough to find out.

The Guardian - Opinion

Evil, evil, evil.

TechCrunch

But generally speaking, it is important for the villain to show how much they thoroughly enjoy the evil situation at hand as displayed by the character Jack Torrance in The Shining played by Jack Nicholson.

WikiHow

The author insists on a belief in good and evil; again, some won't agree that New York is so thoroughly demonic, al though most will recognize the voices coming up the airshaft, the cries and the explosions.

The New York Times

The Daily Telegraph, for instance, although like most of its contemporaries describing Brett's death as "a vulgar, dastardly murder", nevertheless supported reform in Ireland; "we may hang convicted Fenians with good conscience, but we should also thoroughly redress those evils distinctly due to English policy and still supported by English power".

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "thoroughly evil", ensure that the context clearly supports such a strong condemnation. Overuse can diminish its impact, so reserve it for situations where the level of wickedness is truly exceptional.

Common error

Avoid using "thoroughly evil" casually or in contexts where the negativity is mild. Its strength lies in its specificity and appropriateness for extreme situations; diluting its use weakens its impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "thoroughly evil" functions as an adjective phrase that modifies a noun, emphasizing the extreme degree of wickedness or malevolence. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in describing something completely malevolent.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

10%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "thoroughly evil" is a grammatically correct adjective phrase used to express strong condemnation. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. While not overly common, the expression is found across varied sources, primarily in News & Media and science. It is best reserved for contexts demanding emphasis on complete wickedness to avoid diluting its impact. Alternatives include "utterly wicked" and "completely malevolent", each with slight differences in nuance. When you are searching for a phrase that makes someone know that you strongly disagree with an action that has been made, you can use the phrase "thoroughly evil".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

utterly wicked

Replaces "thoroughly" with "utterly", emphasizing the complete and absolute nature of the wickedness.

completely malevolent

Substitutes "evil" with "malevolent", focusing on the intention to do harm, and "thoroughly" with "completely" for emphasis.

absolutely diabolical

Uses "diabolical" instead of "evil", suggesting a connection to the devil or extreme wickedness, and "absolutely" instead of "thoroughly".

totally depraved

Replaces "evil" with "depraved", highlighting moral corruption, and "thoroughly" with "totally" indicating the extent of the corruption.

entirely immoral

Substitutes "evil" with "immoral", focusing on the violation of moral principles, and "thoroughly" with "entirely" stressing completeness.

wholly corrupt

Uses "corrupt" instead of "evil", emphasizing decay or dishonesty, and "wholly" instead of "thoroughly" indicating completeness.

deeply sinister

Replaces "evil" with "sinister", highlighting a threatening or ominous nature, and "thoroughly" with "deeply" for intensity.

unredeemably evil

Adds "unredeemably" to emphasize that the evil cannot be corrected or forgiven.

inherently wicked

Replaces "thoroughly" with "inherently" highlighting that wickedness is part of someone or something's fundamental nature.

profoundly wicked

Replaces "thoroughly" with "profoundly" highlighting the depth or intensity of wickedness.

FAQs

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

You can use "thoroughly evil" to describe a character, action, or concept that is completely wicked or malevolent. For example, "The villain's plan was thoroughly evil, leaving no room for redemption."

What are some synonyms for "thoroughly evil"?

Some synonyms include "utterly wicked", "completely malevolent", and "absolutely diabolical". The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "thoroughly evil" an overused phrase?

While "thoroughly evil" is a strong phrase, it's not necessarily overused if applied appropriately. However, be mindful of its intensity and reserve it for situations where the described subject is exceptionally wicked.

What is the difference between "evil" and "thoroughly evil"?

"Evil" describes something bad or immoral, while "thoroughly evil" intensifies the description, indicating that the subject is completely, utterly, and without any redeeming qualities, wicked.