malicious
adjective
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Malicious, Malevolent, and Malice
Malicious and malevolent are close in meaning, since both refer to ill will that desires to see someone else suffer. But while malevolent suggests deep and lasting dislike, malicious usually means petty and spiteful. Malicious gossipers are often simply envious of a neighbor's good fortune. Vandals may take malicious pleasure in destroying and defacing property but usually don't truly hate the owners. Malice is an important legal concept, which has to be proved in order to convict someone of certain crimes such as first-degree murder.
Examples of malicious in a Sentence
Joyce Carol Oates, New York Times Book Review, 5 Nov. 2000
A cunning and malicious crook who suckered him without half trying.
—Philip Roth, American Pastoral, 1997
Frank sensed her discomfort and took a certain malicious pleasure in it, enacting all the while his perfect innocence.
—John Updike, The Afterlife, 1994
a malicious distortion of the truth
the neighborhood chatterbox has again been spreading malicious gossip
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 June 2025
The first-degree arson charges and malicious damage by explosive charges are connected to the damage to two homes on each side of Barnette’s property.
—Jeff A. Chamer, Charlotte Observer, 27 June 2025
Nor are alligators the consistently malicious snappers of Kristi Noem’s dreams.
—Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 27 June 2025
For example, in March, Microsoft Threat Intelligence disclosed a malicious campaign using infostealers that had affected nearly 1 million devices globally.
—Dylan Butts, CNBC, 26 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for malicious
Cite this Entry
“Malicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malicious. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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malicious
adjective
Legal Definition
malicious
adjective
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