70+ Negative Words That Start With E

December 3, 2025

‘Bad’ is not the only negative word in the English language. You also have ‘egotistic,’ ‘erratic,’ ‘envy,’ and more! Here is a closer look at some negative words that start with E:

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Table of Contents

Evil

Starting off our list of negative words that start with the letter E is ‘evil.’ This word pertains to something harmful, immoral, and unpleasant. In pop culture, some well-known villains include Voldemort and Hannibal Lecter.

Eerie

‘Eerie’ means spooky, strange, or unsettling, the kind of atmosphere that makes the hair on your neck stand up. Think misty graveyards, creaky hallways, or anything that feels just a little too quiet.

Elusive

Have you ever asked someone for the truth, only to be met with evasion? That’s what you call being ‘elusive.’ Something ‘elusive’ is hard to catch or understand. It might be an abstract idea like meaning or purpose, or something literal, like a mouse that keeps slipping out of sight.

Egotistic

Being egotistic means having an exaggerated sense of your own importance. It comes from the Latin ego, meaning “I,” and emphasizes self-importance rather than self-interest.

Emergency

The word ’emergency’ is often associated with negativity because it describes situations that arise suddenly and require immediate action. The ’emergency’ can be because someone’s safety, health, or property is at risk.

Erratic

Do you have an appliance (perhaps a refrigerator) that abruptly turns off by itself even if there is electricity? Well, you could say that it is behaving ‘erratically.’ The word ‘erratic’ doesn’t only apply to inanimate objects.

Empty

From an ’empty’ house and an ‘empty’ bank account to even an ’empty’ heart, ’empty,’ as an adjective, can mean containing nothing, lack of sincerity, or no value. If used as a verb, ‘empty’ turns into an action (often with an object) of removing the contents from a container.

Enraged

Everybody gets angry. But when that anger turns into something that you can no longer contain or control, you are ‘enraged.’ When this happens, you may lash out verbally or physically, often making the situation worse for you and anyone involved.

Envy

When someone else possesses a talent, accomplishment, or opportunity that you wish you had, you could say that you are ‘envious’ of them.

Keep in mind that ‘envy’ is different from ‘jealousy.’ Envy is wanting what you don’t have, while ‘jealousy’ is worrying someone will take what you already have.

Error

A spelling ‘error,’ a script ‘error,’ or a checkout ‘error.’ When something goes off track, you could say that it was an ‘error.’ Most of the time, it’s unintentional, but there are some instances where the ‘error’ was purposefully made.

Entitled

In negative contexts, entitled means insisting that something is yours or that it is your right. For instance, a spoiled child might think they are entitled to an inheritance, even though they haven’t contributed anything to the family business.

But keep in mind that the word ‘entitled’ doesn’t always have a negative connotation. Let’s say you bought a brand-new laptop that stops working after a few days. Then, you are entitled to make a warranty claim.