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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of malicious
The malware—reportedly jointly developed by the US and Israel—pushed a malicious update throughout an infected network belonging to the Iranian government.
—
Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 17 Apr. 2026
Baldwin subsequently filed a lawsuit alleging malicious prosecution, which is ongoing.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
Bengio said that means the safety guardrails companies build in—such as filters designed to block malicious requests—can simply be stripped away by users, leaving little to prevent misuse.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026
The lawsuit claims 10 violations of state and federal law, including retaliation, unlawful arrest, unlawful seizure, malicious prosecution and conspiracy and seeks an unspecified amount of money for damages.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for malicious
Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 17 Apr. 2026
Baldwin subsequently filed a lawsuit alleging malicious prosecution, which is ongoing.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
Bengio said that means the safety guardrails companies build in—such as filters designed to block malicious requests—can simply be stripped away by users, leaving little to prevent misuse.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026
The lawsuit claims 10 violations of state and federal law, including retaliation, unlawful arrest, unlawful seizure, malicious prosecution and conspiracy and seeks an unspecified amount of money for damages.
—Katie Langford, Denver Post, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for malicious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malicious
Adjective
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Now, is that the same as a soldier betting on the capture of a vicious dictator?—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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Beijing has long struggled to drive domestic consumption, while brutal competition in many industries has pushed producers to cut prices, triggering a vicious cycle in which people hold off on purchases in anticipation of coming discounts.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In what neatly encapsulates the uncomfortable, rude, thin-skinned yet cruel, sarcastic and ultimately juvenile communication style of his online brood, the leader of the pack started with — what else — Lawrence’s looks.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
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Every day in New York City, thousands of home attendants are being forced to work cruel 24-hour shifts while being paid for only 13 of those hours.—
Christopher Marte,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Fuentes and his hateful mob — along with the rest of the world — are still waiting for the segment to air on CNN.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2026
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While Kirk was praised by conservatives as a champion of free speech, he was also criticized for comments that many other Americans found hateful toward LGBTQ+ communities, non-Christians, people of color and women.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The duo made up for the absence of Wembanyama, who did not clear concussion protocol after a nasty fall knocked him out early from a Game 2 loss.—
Christian Clark,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Lomu did not fit the typical profile Mike Vrabel seeks in linemen, players with a nasty streak and fierce play demeanor.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The sound of cockcrow, it was believed, prompted malevolent spirits to fly away.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Apr. 2026
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When Bastian ducks into a bookstore and starts reading a book about a malevolent force (the Nothing) devouring the realm of Fantasia, the narrative comes to life.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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But again and again throughout Thursday's hearing, the fraying of bonds between Kennedy and his former party was on full display as spiteful comments were passed back and forth.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
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But again and again throughout Thursday’s hearing, the fraying of bonds between Kennedy and his former party was on full display as spiteful comments were passed back and forth.—
Ali Swenson,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Friends of Jaclyn was inspired by Murphy’s daughter, a nine-year-old lacrosse player in New York who was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 2004.—
Karen Billing,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
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What doctors initially believed was a benign tumor quickly became something far more serious — a life-altering diagnosis of a malignant Phyllodes tumor of the breast that set off a whirlwind of surgeries and years of recovery, reshaping not only her body, but her sense of self.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Malicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malicious. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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