To evaluate \(-3^2\), you need to follow the order of operations, which states that you should perform exponentiation before applying the negative sign.
So, calculate \(3^2\) first:
\[ 3^2 = 9 \]
Now, apply the negative sign:
\[ -3^2 = -9 \]
Thus, the final answer is:
\[ -3^2 = -9 \]