as in malice
the desire to cause pain for the satisfaction of doing harm
nothing more than unprovoked meanness drove him to smash the child's toy
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for meanness
Noun
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They’re built not to resist developers but, as their name suggests, they’re intentionally designed, with a degree of malice, to annoy someone specific.—
Lilit Marcus,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025 -
Emerson's defense team argued that the case was more about mental health than malice.—
Maddie Garfinkle,
PEOPLE,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Being tied to the mast of a regime defined by cruelty and graft is a problem of another magnitude entirely.—
Dónal Gill,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
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After shifting power to the people—like a year-plus bus boycott can do, for example—and getting the government to lessen its corruption, cruelty, injustice or violence, defending those gains is a must.—
Michael Shank,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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At Venomworld, herpetologist Remi Ksas collects venom from some of the world’s most dangerous snakes for medical and pharmaceutical uses.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
23 Oct. 2025
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The scorpion, who will sting with their poisonous venom when hurt, is extremely intuitive and highly aware of their surroundings.—
Lisa Stardust,
Refinery29,
21 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The endorsement comes as Cuomo has lobbed increasingly caustic attacks on Mamdani, equating his criticism of Israel with antisemitism and warning of a city beset by crime, hatred and disorder if his opponent wins.—
Anthony Izaguirre,
Fortune,
24 Oct. 2025
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Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield hasn't been shy about his hatred of the rival NFL franchise.—
Matt Audilet,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Meanness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/meanness. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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