catty

adjective

Definition of cattynext
as in malicious
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it a catty remark that served only to hurt their feelings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of catty Tortuga’s signature restaurant, Bamboo, sits catty-corner to the pool, and has a dining room with blush pink walls—a color handpicked by Oscar de la Renta. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 June 2026 With Daniel being tied to Armand, and the journalist turned documentarian having a catty, antagonistic relationship with Lestat, much of how he was turned and the real reason for why is left a mystery. — Sabrina Reed, Forbes.com, 3 June 2026 Yes, remarks those catty modernists made about their host could be less than savory, but Stein wasn’t bothered. — Emily Cox, ARTnews.com, 22 May 2026 Long gone are the days of catty rivalries between Tonya and Nancy, Michelle and Tara. — Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 17 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for catty
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catty
  1. malicious
  2. cruel
  3. vicious
  4. hateful
  5. nasty
  6. bitchy
Adjective
  • Use strong security software Good security software can help protect you from malicious links, phishing attempts and other online threats that may try to steal your information.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Many phones silently join familiar-looking networks without user confirmation, a behavior that attackers exploit through malicious wireless access points that mimic trusted hotspots.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of malicious
Adjective
  • Success can feel like a cruel tease, fleetingly unattainable and yet when finally achieved, too dangerous to enjoy too long.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026
  • If Russia behaved badly, that was the fault of its primitive and cruel Asian side, a notion that conveniently created the fiction that Western countries are not capable of similar cruelty.
    — Foreign Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of cruel
Adjective
  • But Roy’s story of Annie (Arjun Raina), a New Delhi architecture student caught in a vicious cycle of failing and repeating his studies, gradually reveals itself as a sharp and poignant portrayal of youth, deftly poised between hope and cynicism.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Lawsuits, bureaucratic battles, boisterously divisive council arguments and vicious social media debates have been part of Bloomfield life for years, and intensified during Danielle Wong’s contentious time as mayor.
    — Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of vicious
Adjective
  • Grabs a ketchup bottle and garnishes his face, before squirting mustard into his hateful, piggish eyes.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Doukoure characterized Tuesday's rhetoric as hateful but said CAIR and members of the Muslim community have become accustomed to being targeted because of their advocacy.
    — Gino Vicci, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of hateful
Adjective
  • The former Cardinal is an absolute brawler with over 90 NFL starts who brings the exact nasty, tone-setting violence this interior unit needs.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Greg and Denise are having some marital issues, but everybody needs to put other concerns aside to stay alive with nasty raptors and other hungry beasties around.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of nasty
Adjective
  • The bitchy moms are there, as is her sweetie pie lawyer, Doug, and Geri and Rudy.
    — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 15 July 2026
  • These bigger, bitchier boy bags are taking the fashion conversation somewhere new.
    — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 10 July 2026
Definition of bitchy

Browse Nearby Words

cattlemen
catty
caucus
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Catty.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catty. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of devolve

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Why do we say 'break a leg'?

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All