sins
B2Formal, Religious, Literary, Figurative
Definition
Meaning
Moral wrongdoings, transgressions against divine or ethical law.
Serious faults or mistakes; actions or conditions that are regarded as highly regrettable or detrimental.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily plural of 'sin'. Can be used abstractly for serious faults. The singular 'sin' is more common in theological contexts; 'sins' often implies a collection of specific wrongdoings.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning. More likely in overtly religious discourse in the US. In UK, 'faults' or 'wrongdoings' may be slightly preferred in secular contexts.
Connotations
Both carry strong religious/moral weight. In secular figurative use ('the sins of the father'), connotation is identical.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English due to higher prevalence of public religious discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
confess + sinsforgive + sinsrepent + of + sinsbe guilty of + sinssins + against + (person/god/law)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Sins of the father”
- “For my sins (humorous, UK)”
- “Live in sin”
- “As sin (very; e.g., 'ugly as sin')”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Figuratively for serious ethical failures ('the sins of corporate greed').
Academic
In theology, ethics, literature, history. Used literally and conceptually.
Everyday
Common in figurative/secular use ('we all have our sins'). Common in idioms.
Technical
Specific theological classifications (mortal/venial sins; sins of commission/omission).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He sins with alarming regularity, then goes to confession.
- She believes gossiping sins against charity.
American English
- He sins every Sunday according to his preacher.
- The company sins against environmental regulations daily.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial form from 'sins'. Use 'sinfully'.
American English
- No standard adverbial form from 'sins'. Use 'sinfully'.
adjective
British English
- No standard adjectival form from 'sins'. Use 'sinful'.
- She gave him a sin-laden look.
American English
- No standard adjectival form from 'sins'. Use 'sinful'.
- He had a sin-filled past.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He told the priest his sins.
- Stealing is one of the bad sins.
- In the story, the hero must atone for his past sins.
- The seven deadly sins are famous in many cultures.
- The politician's earlier sins came back to haunt him during the election.
- Theologians distinguish between mortal sins and venial sins.
- The novel explores the inescapable legacy of the father's sins upon the son.
- Her report detailed the corporate sins of omission that led to the disaster.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
SINS: Serious Infractions Never Succeed. Think of it as the plural of a serious spiritual 'slip'.
Conceptual Metaphor
SINS ARE DIRT/STAIN (wash away sins), SINS ARE A BURDEN (weighed down by sins), SINS ARE A DEBT (pay for one's sins).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as just 'грехи' in every secular context. For minor 'faults', use 'недостатки', 'ошибки'.
- The phrase 'for my sins' (UK humour) does not translate literally; it means 'unfortunately, as my punishment'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'sin' as an uncountable noun in plural contexts (*He committed a lot of sin). Use 'sins'.
- Misspelling as 'sinns'.
- Confusing 'sins' with 'signs' in pronunciation.
Practice
Quiz
In the idiom 'for my sins' (British English), what does it typically express?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While its core meaning is religious, it is widely used figuratively in secular contexts to mean serious faults or regrettable actions (e.g., 'the sins of our past').
'Sins' implies a violation of moral or divine law, carrying heavier moral weight. 'Mistakes' are general errors without inherent moral judgement.
The base form 'sin' is the verb. 'Sins' is the third-person singular present tense of the verb (e.g., 'He sins'). As a standalone word, it is almost always the plural noun.
These are wrongs committed by failing to do something one should have done (e.g., not helping someone in danger), as opposed to 'sins of commission' (actively doing wrong).