malignant

adjective

ma·​lig·​nant mə-ˈlig-nənt How to pronounce malignant (audio)
1
: tending to produce death or deterioration
malignant malaria
especially : tending to infiltrate, metastasize, and terminate fatally
a malignant tumor
2
a
: evil in nature, influence, or effect : injurious
a powerful and malignant influence
b
: passionately and relentlessly malevolent : aggressively malicious
the malignant tongues of gossipers
c
obsolete : malcontent, disaffected
malignantly adverb

Examples of malignant in a Sentence

a highly malignant form of cancer a powerful and malignant influence
Recent Examples on the Web The system generates two scores, one for benign and one for malignant, each on a scale of zero to one. Meredith Broussard, WIRED, 15 Mar. 2023 These isms have been busy raping the planet, based on an old, malignant story that the environment is nothing but dead stuff to exploit. Hazlitt, 26 July 2023 Lozano’s visuals are consistently arresting, with terrific use of shadows to malignant effect. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 July 2023 The lawsuit claims that in May 2011 Kim Chace was battling stage 4 glioblastoma — a highly malignant brain tumor. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 11 July 2023 The La Jolla company hopes to complete development of a drug to fight malignant tumors by next year. Merrie Monteagudo, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2022 The doctors discovered fluid building up in Zen's head and a malignant tumor that required brain surgery. Georgia Slater, PEOPLE.com, 7 Dec. 2021 The confluence of the pandemic and the disproportionate impact on people of color, the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, among others, and the president’s malignant policy decisions and ignorant proclamations have laid the problem bare. Otis R. Taylor Jr., SFChronicle.com, 2 Nov. 2020 Kitwood argued that care settings shaped by malignant social psychology can actually accelerate neurological decline. Longreads, 14 Apr. 2020 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'malignant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin malignant-, malignans, present participle of malignari

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined at sense 2c

Time Traveler
The first known use of malignant was in 1542

Dictionary Entries Near malignant

Cite this Entry

“Malignant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malignant. Accessed 26 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

malignant

adjective
ma·​lig·​nant mə-ˈlig-nənt How to pronounce malignant (audio)
1
: evil in influence or effect : injurious
2
3
: tending to produce death
malignant tumors
malignantly adverb

Medical Definition

malignant

adjective
ma·​lig·​nant mə-ˈlig-nənt How to pronounce malignant (audio)
1
: tending to produce death or deterioration
malignant malaria
especially : tending to infiltrate, metastasize, and terminate fatally
malignant tumors
compare benign sense 1
2
: of unfavorable prognosis : not responding favorably to treatment
psychotic reactions with a malignant trend

More from Merriam-Webster on malignant

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