original sin
noun
1
: the state of sin that according to Christian theology characterizes all human beings as a result of Adam's fall
2
: a wrong of great magnitude
the original sin of slavery
Examples of original sin in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
If the taking of data without consent is generative AI’s original sin, the widespread labor exploitation is its dirty secret.
—
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 27 June 2024
Towne had found an original sin on which to build his story, but the audacity of the crime and the sheer depth of conspiracy required to pull it off seemed impossible to fit into a screenplay.
—Chris Stanton, The Atlantic, 25 June 2024
The root cause of these derelictions is, as always, original sin, which Reinhold Niebuhr described as the only empirically verifiable proposition of the Christian faith.
—Ramesh Ponnuru, National Review, 25 June 2024
One item not on Biden’s list is reparations, the long overdue but still controversial payments to the descendants of enslaved people in compensation for that original sin.
—Joe Davidson, Washington Post, 21 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for original sin 
Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 27 June 2024
Towne had found an original sin on which to build his story, but the audacity of the crime and the sheer depth of conspiracy required to pull it off seemed impossible to fit into a screenplay.
—Chris Stanton, The Atlantic, 25 June 2024
The root cause of these derelictions is, as always, original sin, which Reinhold Niebuhr described as the only empirically verifiable proposition of the Christian faith.
—Ramesh Ponnuru, National Review, 25 June 2024
One item not on Biden’s list is reparations, the long overdue but still controversial payments to the descendants of enslaved people in compensation for that original sin.
—Joe Davidson, Washington Post, 21 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for original sin
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'original sin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Original sin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/original%20sin. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.
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