MALICIOUS Synonyms: 88 Similar and Opposite Words

malicious

adjective

mə-ˈli-shəs

Definition of malicious

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

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 malicious Cole was initially charged with transporting an explosive device in interstate commerce and attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive materials. — Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 8 July 2026 The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office has charged Bonnette, of Woodbury, with malicious punishment of a child. — Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 8 July 2026 This ability to transfer malicious prompts between models significantly increases the attack’s feasibility, Cao wrote. — Edd Gent, IEEE Spectrum, 8 July 2026 The decision to send off Balogun was disputed — his movement seemed clumsy but not malicious. — ABC News, 6 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for malicious

Recent Examples of Synonyms for malicious

Adjective

The early Cold War liberals had read their history books and seen how the French Revolution had begun with high progressive hopes but descended into a vicious bloodbath.

— David Brooks, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
After a similarly vicious storm struck the New York area late Friday, hundreds of thousands of utility customers were left without power, trains to New Jersey were canceled and thousands of trees were damaged or uprooted.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026

Definition of vicious

Adjective

The heat has become so unbearable in Japan that weather officials in April announced a new term for days when maximum temperatures exceed 104 degrees — kokushobi, meaning harsh or cruel heat, according to the Japan Times.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
For thousands of Venezuelans, however, the lack of definitive answers has become one of the tragedy’s cruelest consequences.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 July 2026

Definition of cruel

Adjective

After about a month, when the social media and news backlash started to settle down, Johnson said the hateful comments stopped coming in.

— Elijah Polance, Hartford Courant, 5 July 2026
White attributed most of the hateful comments to online agitators rather than true WNBA or Indiana Fever fans.

— Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026

Definition of hateful

Adjective

The prettiest man in football landed a nasty elbow to Ireland’s Dara O’ Shea and was justifiably handed a red card.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 July 2026
One is the true story of a white, nasty gentleman who had more power than anybody in the United States for longer, and the other is a love story between two gay people at a time when that had to be way, way, way down low.

— K.J. Yossman, Variety, 7 July 2026

Definition of nasty

Adjective

There’s a reason Hollywood thrives on harmless, lovable characters that turn into malevolent, even homicidal, threats.

— Roger Dooley, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Peter Gosselin Washington Moyn’s article and the accompanying cover photograph—showing old people as malevolent and evil—were not up to the usual standards of Harper’s Magazine.

— Peter Gosselin, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026

Definition of malevolent

Adjective

Various types of cancer, in which malignant tumors invade surrounding tissues, contributed to between 13,000 and 20,000 deaths annually in this time frame.

— Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
Asymptomatic lesions discovered incidentally in populations could also be monitored en masse to generate a robust database that would help researchers learn which types of lesions are more (or less) likely to turn malignant.

— Paul Hsieh, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026

Definition of malignant

Browse Nearby Words

malice

malicious

maliciously

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Malicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malicious. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of malicious

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on malicious

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

fulcrum

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes