deadly sin

noun

: one of seven sins of pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth held to be fatal to spiritual progress

Examples of deadly sin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
His depiction of the seven deadly sins as seagulls came to him in a dream. Caroline Reilly, Robb Report, 6 June 2025 During this period, pride was often found capitalized and linked to the Christian concept of the seven deadly sins. Juliana Kim, NPR, 28 May 2025 For many people, using artificial intelligence in any form is like breaking one of the seven deadly sins. Brian Welk, IndieWire, 3 Jan. 2025 The seven deadly sins—pride, greed, envy, lust, gluttony, wrath and sloth—are ancient concepts that permeate our modern life. Sandro Da Silva, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for deadly sin

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of deadly sin was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deadly sin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deadly%20sin. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

deadly sin

noun
: one of seven sins of pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth considered in Christianity to be very serious and believed to cause other sins

More from Merriam-Webster on deadly sin

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!