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
Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
The Knicks also got their revenge on Wembanyama, who went unpenalized for a malicious, above-the-shoulders shove on Brunson in Game 3.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 11 June 2026
The suspects were charged with assaulting a police officer, fighting in a public place, resisting arrest, malicious damage and disorderly behavior in a police station.
—CBS News, 11 June 2026
The websites may be used to collect personal information, sell fake World Cup tickets and hospitality products or facilitate other malicious activity.
—Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for malicious
Cite this Entry
“Malicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malicious. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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malicious
adjective
Legal Definition
malicious
adjective
