1
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
a vicious winter storm ripped through the region
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in brutal
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others
she made a vicious effort to destroy the lives of the people who had wronged her
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3
as in unlawful
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable
a truly vicious person detested by almost everyone
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4
as in savage
violently unfriendly or aggressive in disposition
a vicious dog that has already bitten several people
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5
as in malicious
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it
he spread vicious rumors about his ex-wife after their bitter divorce
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of vicious
Lucy needs someone to break her out of what could quickly become a vicious cycle.
—
Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
The Navy plans to name a new Arleigh Burke-class destroyer after Cpl. Kyle Carpenter, a former Camp Pendleton Marine who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for an act of heroism during vicious fighting in Afghanistan nearly 15 years ago.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025
But each year, fewer babies are born, and more deaths are recorded – a vicious cycle and a symptom of a population skewing older and older.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
Coming less than a year after the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in the same neighborhood, which was widely regarded as an assassination motivated by contempt for the American health insurance industry, LePatner’s death prompted a similarly vicious response on social media.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vicious
Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
The Navy plans to name a new Arleigh Burke-class destroyer after Cpl. Kyle Carpenter, a former Camp Pendleton Marine who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for an act of heroism during vicious fighting in Afghanistan nearly 15 years ago.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025
But each year, fewer babies are born, and more deaths are recorded – a vicious cycle and a symptom of a population skewing older and older.
—Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 7 Aug. 2025
Coming less than a year after the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in the same neighborhood, which was widely regarded as an assassination motivated by contempt for the American health insurance industry, LePatner’s death prompted a similarly vicious response on social media.
—Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vicious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vicious
Adjective
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The community’s response is intense: panicked and bereaved mothers and fathers turn on Justine, indirectly a victim herself; misguided outrage blinds them to the real menace operating unimpeded in their midst.—
Andy Crump,
Time,
9 Aug. 2025
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The race to claim the top seller on iTunes or dominate streaming platforms is intense, with pop, rock, and rap acts all aiming for No. 1 on those platforms.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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At the world’s southern edge, where nature is brutal and time stands still, hunters, herders and families endure the cold and solitude as ghosts roam the pampa.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
16 Aug. 2025
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A day after a brutal collision with the railing near the camera well — and a camera — Freddy Fermin is back behind the plate and batting ninth in a lineup identical to Friday’s.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Instead, advocates say those who are not in shelter are being pushed farther and farther away from services in an attempt to escape unlawful camping citations.—
Keely Doll,
The Courier-Journal,
15 Aug. 2025
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Drake Solomon accuses his former employer of disability discrimination and an unlawful severance offer.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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As savage Arctic cold was getting ready to surge south across North America, vivid imagery based on data from weather models showed us what was going to happen.—
Tom Yulsman,
Discover Magazine,
27 Dec. 2022
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The 2023 grand marshal is former Arizona Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords, gravely wounded in a savage mass shooting in 2011 that also killed six people.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Dec. 2022
Adjective
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Accessing the code prompts recipients to provide personal and financial information, or can lead to downloading malicious software.—
Laura Daniella Sepulveda,
AZCentral.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Previous reports have noted his intensive training at the WWE Performance Center and his incredible physical transformation.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Aug. 2025
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Young’s legacy endures – her school remains a magnet for young performers aged 10 to 16, blending the academic curriculum with intensive training in acting, singing and dance.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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That is a particularly egregious example of how the Trump Administration has been gratuitously cruel to the Sudanese.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
5 Aug. 2025
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Stacy, Tim’s wife, also died of pancreatic cancer five months later in February of 2024, a cruel hand for a family that for years had gone above and beyond in their efforts to raise money and awareness for cancer research.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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As Wednesday processes this, the evil one-eyed crow shows up and flies off with her evidence in its beak.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
6 Aug. 2025
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An avatar for good and an embodiment of evil sit face-to-face, locked in an eternal clash of wills.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
5 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vicious. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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