1
as in malice
the desire to cause pain for the satisfaction of doing harm
simple viciousness can be the only reason for spreading such vile, unfounded rumors
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cruelty
disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others
the unspeakable viciousness of some dictators in the past
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of viciousness
The movie’s grand centerpiece is a dinner party where Theo and Ivy go at each other with such viciousness that their guests can only stand by and watch, aghast.
—
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 Aug. 2025
Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for viciousness
Noun
-
Howard sells his smug malice, digging into Matt in a way no one has before until the whole thing devolves into a physical fight.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Smith said Hawthorne committed murder because his actions showed malice.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Such rhetoric has fostered a climate where cruelty is normalized.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
2 Sep. 2025
-
His anguished mother insisted on an open-casket ceremony to show the world the gruesome cruelty of lynching.—
Lorenzino Estrada,
AZCentral.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Medevdev has always vocalized his venom inside.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
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This incident, occurring in Sivasagar, highlights the danger of handling dead snakes, as their venom apparatus can still function.—
Real-Time News team,
Miami Herald,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
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The brutality of the Ukrainian frontline The challenges facing foreign volunteer fighters on the battlefield extend well beyond their legal label.—
Rebecca Johns,
Miami Herald,
6 Sep. 2025
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For a long time, the book was consider unadaptable due to its brutality.—
Emily Zemler,
Rolling Stone,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Rivalries that are long in tenure and thick with hatred define college sports in the Deep South, where football is second only to faith in some places.—
Quentin Corpuel,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
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Examples abound of men with histories of misogyny – often expressed online – who go on to commit violent crimes in the name of their hatred.—
Will Carless,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Viciousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/viciousness. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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