vilest

Vilest is the superlative form of the English adjective vile. It describes something morally repugnant, extremely unpleasant, or deserving of strong condemnation. As a superlative, vilest typically modifies nouns referring to acts, motives, conditions, or people that are regarded as very bad by normative standards. The usage carries a strong negative valence and is less suitable for neutral descriptions.

Etymology and form: Vile comes from Old French vil, from Latin vilis meaning cheap or worthless. The comparative is viler and the superlative vilest. In modern English, vilest is standard for the one-syllable adjective formed with the -est ending. The phrase most vile is also used, especially in more formal or emphatic contexts, but it is less common in everyday speech.

Usage notes: Vilest appears in literary and journalistic prose, in moral critique, and in historical or rhetorical contexts describing cruelty, deception, or crimes. It is highly emphatic and not typically used for mild or neutral descriptions. Intensifiers such as utterly vilest or the vilest possible are grammatically correct but further increase emphasis.

Examples: The vilest acts against humanity; a vile lie or the vilest lie; the vilest schemes. In contemporary writing, writers may choose synonyms like despicable, abhorrent, or revolting when a less emphatic tone is desired.

See also: vile, vileness.