as in malicious
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it
the girl's classmates were bullying her online, sending her hateful e-mails and text messages
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 hateful
According to research from Copyleaks, an AI analysis firm that helps businesses and institutions navigate the shifting landscape of this emergent technology, a new trend has produced Sora videos of celebrities appearing to spew hateful racist epithets.
—
Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
Other fits have been hateful, veering into racist and antisemitic diatribes.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
This week in politics In the hours and days after a Politco exposé revealed the chair and vice chair of the Kansas Young Republicans sent bigoted messages in a group chat with members from three other states, Kansas GOP officials emphatically disavowed the hateful and violent rhetoric.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2025
To her surprise, she was met with thousands of hateful comments bashing her outfit.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hateful
Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 23 Oct. 2025
Other fits have been hateful, veering into racist and antisemitic diatribes.
—Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
This week in politics In the hours and days after a Politco exposé revealed the chair and vice chair of the Kansas Young Republicans sent bigoted messages in a group chat with members from three other states, Kansas GOP officials emphatically disavowed the hateful and violent rhetoric.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2025
To her surprise, she was met with thousands of hateful comments bashing her outfit.
—Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hateful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hateful
Adjective
-
The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
For many of Modi’s supporters, Mamdani’s rhetoric is seen as a malicious attack on the country’s majority religion.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
But his preposterously wide net, his endless minions, and his vicious style left us no choice but to scale back on the data center theme.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Tommy's new relationship with Mireya Garcia (Carmela Zumbado) has sparked a face-off with her brother and the leader of the vicious drug gang Insane Princes, Miguel (Manuel Eduardo Ramirez).—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
That is unacceptably cruel, corrupt, and undemocratic.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Instead, she was stripped of her bronze medal after a late score inquiry—a ruling that still feels cruel for an athlete who had delivered the performance of her life.—
Essence,
Essence,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The growth of passive investing, through index funds found in the 401(k) accounts of average Americans, has propped up the stock market while also potentially setting it up for a nasty fall.—
Mark Dent,
HubSpot,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Instead of this stuff that's raised overseas that's done in ways that doesn't have any checks, that it's got polluted water, it's being fed really nasty stuff, full of antibiotics, full of chemicals.—
Dan Morrison,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hateful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hateful. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share