malign

adjective

ma·lign | \ mə-ˈlīn

Definition of malign

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : evil in nature, influence, or effect : injurious the malign effects of illicit drugs

b : malignant, virulent a malign lesion

2 : having or showing intense often vicious ill will : malevolent gave him a malign look

malign

verb

maligned; maligning; maligns

Definition of malign (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to utter injuriously misleading or false reports about : speak evil of Her supporters say that she has been unfairly maligned in the press.

Other Words from malign Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about malign

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Choose the Right Synonym for malign

Adjective

sinister, baleful, malign mean seriously threatening evil or disaster. sinister suggests a general or vague feeling of fear or apprehension on the part of the observer. a sinister aura haunts the place baleful imputes perniciousness or destructiveness to something whether working openly or covertly. exerting a corrupt and baleful influence malign applies to what is inherently evil or harmful. the malign effects of racism

Verb

malign, traduce, asperse, vilify, calumniate, defame, slander mean to injure by speaking ill of. malign suggests specific and often subtle misrepresentation but may not always imply deliberate lying. the most maligned monarch in British history traduce stresses the resulting ignominy and distress to the victim. so traduced the governor that he was driven from office asperse implies continued attack on a reputation often by indirect or insinuated detraction. both candidates aspersed the other's motives vilify implies attempting to destroy a reputation by open and direct abuse. no criminal was more vilified in the press calumniate imputes malice to the speaker and falsity to the assertions. falsely calumniated as a traitor defame stresses the actual loss of or injury to one's good name. sued them for defaming her reputation slander stresses the suffering of the victim. town gossips slandered their good name

Did You Know?

Verb

When a word's got "mal-" in it, it's no good. That prefix traces to the Latin word malus (which means "bad"), and it puts the negative vibes in "malign" and a host of other English words. You can see it in "malpractice" (bad medical practice) and "malady" (a bad condition, such as a disease or illness, of the body or mind). A "malefactor" is someone guilty of bad deeds, and "malice" is a desire to cause injury, pain, or distress to another person. Other "mal-" formed words include "malaise," "malcontent," "maladroit," "malodorous," and "malnourished."

Examples of malign in a Sentence

Adjective

both parties to the divorce showed a malign desire to make each other's future life utterly miserable

Verb

Her supporters say she is being unfairly maligned in the press. a candidate who believes that it is possible to win an election without maligning anyone

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

My colleagues in the humanities unthinkingly malign STEM in front of me. — Barbara Oakley, WSJ, "Why Do Women Shun STEM? It’s Complicated," 13 July 2018 Other reasons for Trump supporters’ willing suspension of disbelief on Russia’s malign intent are unique to Republicans. — The Economist, "The Trump-Putin summit in Helsinki," 5 July 2018 His aggressive and malign behavior is really a factor in the world. — Fox News, "Trump escalates trade war tensions with tariff threat," 24 June 2018 What is worth pondering is how a demagogue of Hitler’s malign skill might more effectively exploit flaws in American democracy. — Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, "How American Racism Influenced Hitler," 23 Apr. 2018 In a new study, scientists reveal aging to be a process set in motion by the rise of malign forces called senescent cells, which progressively hijack the body and take it on a nightmarish joyride. — Melissa Healy, latimes.com, "This drug cocktail reduced signs of age-related diseases and extended life in mice and human cells," 10 July 2018 Of course the fact (is) that so much money has gone to support malign activities elsewhere, with very little focus on the economy itself. — Washington Post, "US official links economic protests in Iran to sanctions," 12 July 2018 Ollie’s attorneys contend that this accusation is categorically false and that its public release was designed to malign Ollie’s character and damage his prospects for future employment. — Michael Mccann, SI.com, "Breaking Down Kevin Ollie's Case Against UConn and the University's Likely Defenses," 29 June 2018 First, the wealth that was created in Iran as a result of the JCPOA drove Iranian malign activity. — Fox News, "Secretary Mike Pompeo previews upcoming Trump-Kim summit," 13 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

After glass block began turning up in public restrooms, municipal swimming pools and diners in the 1980s, it was maligned as retrograde and even sleazy. — Karen Bruno And, WSJ, "Glass Block in Décor: Cheesy or Charming?," 7 Feb. 2019 Still the busiest shopping day of the year for stores, Black Friday — often maligned, and sometimes brutal — is not for the faint of heart. — Rachel Sugar, Vox, "Don’t get the allure of Black Friday? A mother-daughter shopping duo explains," 21 Nov. 2018 Last year, Yankees skipper Joe Girardi was maligned after failing to ask for a review when the plate ump incorrectly awarded Cleveland a hit by pitch. — Jake Seiner, The Seattle Times, "Before things get wild, the MLB postseason from A to Z," 1 Oct. 2018 Though oft-maligned, there's no denying their convenience. — Audrey Bruno, SELF, "How to Doctor Up an Instant Oatmeal Packet to Make a Delicious and Filling Breakfast, According to R.D.s," 3 Feb. 2019 Republicans railed against maligning a man never convicted of a crime. — Julyssa Lopez, Glamour, "Brett Kavanaugh Has Been Confirmed to the Supreme Court," 6 Oct. 2018 After touring with the national company of Wicked for a year, Vosk recently made her debut as the green-skinned, maligned-but-misunderstood Elphaba in the Broadway production. — Liz Cantrell, Town & Country, "On Her Debut Album, Wicked Star Jessica Vosk is "Wild and Free"," 1 Aug. 2018 But lifelogging produced reams of mostly useless footage, and Glass was maligned as invasive and creepy. — Adi Robertson, The Verge, "You can buy a wearable camera to track your social life," 12 Dec. 2018 And then to be maligned for quote-unquote humanizing Trump, funny. — Fox News, "Ingraham: The new American left: agents of hatred," 12 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'malign.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.