as in malicious
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it
the novel grossly oversimplified the conflict as a struggle between relentlessly malevolent villains on one side and faultless saints on the other
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 malevolent
And then there's Reinhardt's sinister robot sidekick Maximilian, a silent, malevolent presence who has no qualms about slicing up humans with his Swiss Army Knife-esque collection of torture devices.
—
Richard Edwards, Space.com, 8 Feb. 2026
But Saccharine slips off the rails, especially once Hana convinces Josie that Bertha’s spirit has latched onto her in malevolent ways, growing bigger and stronger all the time.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
The deceased individuals who were subjected to corpse-killing were not always once powerful and malevolent, like King Abel.
—Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026
Her first book, Your Presence is Requested at Suvanto, brought us to a Finnish convalescent hospital, and left us in the arms of a malevolent surgeon.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for malevolent
Richard Edwards, Space.com, 8 Feb. 2026
But Saccharine slips off the rails, especially once Hana convinces Josie that Bertha’s spirit has latched onto her in malevolent ways, growing bigger and stronger all the time.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Feb. 2026
The deceased individuals who were subjected to corpse-killing were not always once powerful and malevolent, like King Abel.
—Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026
Her first book, Your Presence is Requested at Suvanto, brought us to a Finnish convalescent hospital, and left us in the arms of a malevolent surgeon.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for malevolent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malevolent
Adjective
-
In reality, the messages are loaded with a malicious attachment.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Jason Hughes Many who left comments on the petition emphasized that Hughes' death did not come out of a malicious act and that the teenagers will have to live with the death for the rest of their lives.—
Maya Rosenberg,
NBC news,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Obviously, Missé is devastated that her brother was killed in such a vicious and public manner.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The play unfolds as a series of battles, where the unaccomplished George and the bitterly disappointed Martha exchange vicious and demeaning insults, using Nick and Honey as the unsuspecting pawns in their war for supremacy.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The $31 million stopgap measure overrides a cruel funding cut by the state Department of Health and, for now, avoids a potential life-or-death situation for about 11,000 people in Florida.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
14 Mar. 2026
-
But the love between cruel people is a real love, too.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Columnist Joe Gerth wonders what his mother, a member of a church that stands against hateful immigration policies, thinks.—
Stephanie Stremplewski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
6 Mar. 2026
-
This has allowed this unauthorized user unfettered access to those frequencies to transmit hateful and threatening messaging, potentially disrupting vital police, fire and EMS communications.—
Andy Sheehan,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Malevolent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malevolent. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
