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
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Recent Examples of malevolent
The reliably malevolent Magisterium sends agents to look for the rose garden too, as part of its general anti-Dust policy.
—
Lev Grossman, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
The movie subsequently gave its monsters a more secular origin story, the spawn of science run amok rather than some malevolent force of evil.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Ultimately, Finn and Gwen take a trip to Alpine Lake to investigate the camp, and that’s where The Grabber’s malevolent spirit seeks his revenge.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025
From her first visit to the Rue de Fleurus, Dodge had considered Toklas a malevolent presence in the household.
—Via Scribner, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for malevolent
Lev Grossman, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2025
The movie subsequently gave its monsters a more secular origin story, the spawn of science run amok rather than some malevolent force of evil.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 21 Oct. 2025
Ultimately, Finn and Gwen take a trip to Alpine Lake to investigate the camp, and that’s where The Grabber’s malevolent spirit seeks his revenge.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 17 Oct. 2025
From her first visit to the Rue de Fleurus, Dodge had considered Toklas a malevolent presence in the household.
—Via Scribner, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for malevolent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malevolent
Adjective
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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
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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
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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
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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
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That is unacceptably cruel, corrupt, and undemocratic.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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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
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West has previously apologized to the Jewish community, only to go on to make offensive and hateful remarks directed at them publicly.—
Marni Rose McFall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Nov. 2025
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Dearborn is home to the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the US and has frequently faced Islamophobic and hateful remarks.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Malevolent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malevolent. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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