What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Depravity vs Nefarious - What's the difference?

depravity | nefarious |

As a noun depravity

is the state or condition of being depraved; moral debasement.

As an adjective nefarious is

sinful, villainous, criminal, or wicked, especially when noteworthy or notorious for such characteristics.

depravity

English

Noun

(depravities)
  • (uncountable) The state or condition of being depraved; moral debasement.
  • * 1850 , , White Jacket, or, The World on a Man-of-War , ch. 34,
    • Depravity in the oppressed is no apology for the oppressor.
  • (countable) A particular depraved act or trait.
  • * 1914 , , The Subterranean Brotherhood , ch. 16,
    • There were men there who had committed merciless robberies, cruel murders, heartless swindles, abominable depravities .
  • (uncountable, Christian theology) Inborn corruption, entailing the belief that every facet of human nature has been polluted, defiled, and contaminated by sin.
  • * 1850 , ,The Scarlet Letter , ch. 8,
    • Here is a child of three years old, and she cannot tell who made her! Without question, she is equally in the dark as to her soul, its present depravity , and future destiny!

    Synonyms

    * wickedness

    Related terms

    * depravation * depravedness

    References

    * * * * * " depravity" in the Wordsmyth Dictionary-Thesaurus (Wordsmyth, 2002) * " depravity" in Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary (Cambridge University Press, 2007) * Oxford English Dictionary , second edition (1989) * Random House Webster's Unabridged Electronic Dictionary (1987-1996)

    nefarious

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Sinful, villainous, criminal, or wicked, especially when noteworthy or notorious for such characteristics.
  • * 1828 , , The Red Rover , ch. 2:
    • "If the vessel be no fair-trading slaver, nor a common cruiser of his Majesty, it is as tangible as the best man's reasoning, that she may be neither more nor less than the ship of that nefarious pirate the Red Rover."
  • * 1877 , , The Life of Cicero , ch. 9:
    • Mommsen . . . declares that Catiline in particular was "one of the most nefarious' men in that ' nefarious age. His villanies belong to the criminal records, not to history."
  • * 1921 , , The Indiscretions of Archie , ch. 26:
    • The fact that the room was still in darkness made it obvious that something nefarious was afoot. Plainly there was dirty work in preparation at the cross-roads.
  • * 2009 Oct. 14, Monica Davey, " Fact Checker Finds Falsehoods in Remarks," New York Times (retrieved 12 May 2014):
    • “I try to let everyone back here in Minnesota know exactly the nefarious activities that are taking place in Washington.”

    Usage notes

    * Commonly used in contexts involving villainous plans, conspiracies, or actions, as in: :* 1909 , , The Lady of the Shroud , book 7: ::: The whole nefarious scheme was one of the "put-up jobs" which are part of the dirty work of a certain order of statecraft.

    Synonyms

    * evil, iniquitous, sinister, underhanded, vile * See also

    Derived terms

    * nefariously * nefariousness

    References

    *