as in vicious
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it
the neighborhood chatterbox has again been spreading malicious gossip
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of malicious
In cyber jargon, a threat actor is an individual or group engaging in malicious activity.
—
ABC News, 24 Mar. 2026
The site may prompt you to download a malicious file.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Mar. 2026
Jay vociferously denied the allegations (as did Combs), and wound up suing Jane and her lawyer, Tony Buzbee, for malicious prosecution and defamation.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2026
The iPhone merely needs to visit the malicious site via Apple’s Safari browser.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for malicious
ABC News, 24 Mar. 2026
The site may prompt you to download a malicious file.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Mar. 2026
Jay vociferously denied the allegations (as did Combs), and wound up suing Jane and her lawyer, Tony Buzbee, for malicious prosecution and defamation.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 24 Mar. 2026
The iPhone merely needs to visit the malicious site via Apple’s Safari browser.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for malicious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malicious
Adjective
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Surrounded by vicious and violent hitmen that have been pressed into service as childcare, Juan Pablo must reckon with his father's crumbling power and find his own way in the world after his death.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
27 Mar. 2026
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This vicious cycle increases until the energy is released essentially in an explosion.—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Some countries have laws administering what critics believe are cruel punishments or place undue restrictions on women and minorities.—
Rachel Royster,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Mar. 2026
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While Tony coddles his own bruised ego, there is clearly a greater reason for the cruel hijinks, which comes in the form of some significant cash.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Why would the Sun Sentinel print opinions clearly based on nothing but hateful personal feelings?—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
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In it, Theroux meets a family at the heart of the Westboro Baptist Church – a virulently homophobic group known for its hateful protests.—
Irenie Forshaw,
TheWeek,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In the especially nasty autumn of 1954, women in June Cleaver dresses and gas masks protested outside the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.—
Patt Morrison,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Mar. 2026
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The show excels at casting a spell through odd details, nasty red herrings, disturbing clues.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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When faced with an intractable problem, or with a person or movement that is malevolent in its very nature, fundamental rupture and daring rejection is required.—
David Brooks,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
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Their agencies — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, the WHO — were unreliable and often malevolent.—
David Blumenthal,
STAT,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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That the spiteful man sees only as far as the spiteful man can, and that can produce a work of art that is successful, but maybe not ultimately great.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
25 Mar. 2026
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Tourette’s can feel spiteful and searches out the most upsetting tic for me personally and for those around me.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Narratively, Daniel Craig’s returning lead Benoit Blanc takes a back pew to the conflict between a sensitive priest and a malignant monsignor who has turned away from Jesus’ teachings.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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Over time, these polyps can become cancerous (malignant) and spread to other areas of the body.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
12 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Malicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malicious. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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