as in vicious
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it
the neighborhood chatterbox has again been spreading malicious gossip
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of malicious
Thames Valley Police arrested four people on suspicion of malicious communications in relation to the stunt.
—
Callum Sutherland, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
Adversarial attacks—such as manipulating AI decisions through malicious inputs—pose the risk of breaches in sensitive healthcare systems, including patient databases.
—Pulak De, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
When Tony's security company faces an attack from unknown malicious forces, the family goes on the run across Europe while figuring out who is after them, according to Paramount.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025
Not because platforms like Instagram and Facebook were malicious, but because they were designed to be addictive and keep users engaged.
—Jenna Glover, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for malicious
Callum Sutherland, Time, 17 Sep. 2025
Adversarial attacks—such as manipulating AI decisions through malicious inputs—pose the risk of breaches in sensitive healthcare systems, including patient databases.
—Pulak De, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
When Tony's security company faces an attack from unknown malicious forces, the family goes on the run across Europe while figuring out who is after them, according to Paramount.
—Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025
Not because platforms like Instagram and Facebook were malicious, but because they were designed to be addictive and keep users engaged.
—Jenna Glover, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for malicious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malicious
Adjective
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Over eight episodes, the brothers find themselves at the mercy of Mancuso — a former family friend — and his vicious henchmen, and they are forced to confront the emotional scars of growing up with an alcoholic father, who had gambled away his own restaurant.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Sep. 2025
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That vicious cycle spins in states such as California, Illinois, and Texas.—
Jeffrey Selingo,
New Yorker,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Sena was crying in pain, and so were her new owners, who even questioned whether keeping her alive was cruel.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
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Directed by Oliver Laxe, who’s been making waves at Cannes for years, the movie is funny and warm in parts, cruel and cold in others.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
20 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Some viewed what Kirk said as extreme, hateful, racist and sexist.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
20 Sep. 2025
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But this disgusting and hateful speech is still speech and is protected by our First Amendment.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The show is set just two years before the USCSS Nostromo crew touched down on LV-426, and brought something very nasty on board.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
20 Sep. 2025
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Eddie’s answer was a little nastier than that.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
Vulture,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Elsewhere, a strange new trend has started, seeing users stitch together clips of Jeremiah from various episodes into horror film-like videos, driving home the message that this is not just another cute, curly-haired college student but a malevolent Disney villain.—
Olivia Petter,
Vogue,
16 Sep. 2025
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Legacy ended with Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), son of Kevin Flynn, preventing the digital world from bleeding into the real world, as planned by the Grid's malevolent ruling program, Clu.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
They were clouded by an entire era of underperformance, tough luck and spiteful ownership.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
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Being consumed by negative emotions like envy or engaging in spiteful behavior does nobody any good.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Eddie, then 30, was diagnosed with a grade 3 astrocytoma — a fast-growing malignant brain tumor.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
20 Sep. 2025
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Tumors growing where chronic injury has hijacked DNA repair and allowed malignant cells to escape control.—
Bill Frist,
Forbes.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Malicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malicious. Accessed 27 Sep. 2025.
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