as in malicious
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it
the novel grossly oversimplified the conflict as a struggle between relentlessly malevolent villains on one side and faultless saints on the other
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Recent Examples of malevolent
The rapid rise of AI, while technologically dazzling, has prompted widespread anxieties on multiple fronts, including job security, human worth and potential misuse by malevolent actors looking to commit fraud, spread disinformation or foment hate.
—
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
Something is wrong at New Hyde, a malevolent devil or monster which attacks patients, including Pepper.
—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
The sound of cockcrow, it was believed, prompted malevolent spirits to fly away.
—
Literary Hub,
23 Apr. 2026
When Bastian ducks into a bookstore and starts reading a book about a malevolent force (the Nothing) devouring the realm of Fantasia, the narrative comes to life.
—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for malevolent
Marc Ramirez,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
Something is wrong at New Hyde, a malevolent devil or monster which attacks patients, including Pepper.
—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
27 Apr. 2026
The sound of cockcrow, it was believed, prompted malevolent spirits to fly away.
—
Literary Hub,
23 Apr. 2026
When Bastian ducks into a bookstore and starts reading a book about a malevolent force (the Nothing) devouring the realm of Fantasia, the narrative comes to life.
—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for malevolent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malevolent
Adjective
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He was charged with arson, malicious destruction by means of a fire and timber set aflame.
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Johnson said the bill was meant to curtail malicious records requests, which do happen, where a citizen goes after copious amounts of records just to be a jerk and cost the government time and money.
Adjective
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The story follows vicious ex-con, Max Cady (Bardem) and his revenge plot against married couple Tom (Patrick Wilson) and Anna Bowden (Adams).
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Mahmic’s vicious goal in traffic salvaged some good feeling before a decisive showdown with Qatar next week.
Adjective
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Passing a child who is unprepared may be the cruelest act of all.
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This is your news to share or not share; posting about this on Facebook strikes me as cruel.
Adjective
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Conservatives are often accused of being divisive, hateful and exclusionary.
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On Sunday, June 14, UFC fighter Josh Hokit took the opportunity after his win on the White House lawn to repeat a hateful lie about the former first lady.
Cite this Entry
“Malevolent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malevolent. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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