as in malice
the desire to cause pain for the satisfaction of doing harm
the maliciousness of some Internet trolls led the editor to start moderating comments on the site
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for maliciousness
Noun
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Nevermind that this is obviously the work of someone acting deliberately, stealthily and with obvious malice – not a drunk stumbling into their homes.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026 -
The appeals court ruled that Miller provided evidence that, on its face, shows malice because Walters' accusations were unfounded.—
Dale Denwalt,
Oklahoman,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Anti-Israel letter writers might want to direct their venom at the brutality that’s going on in Syria at the present time.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
26 Jan. 2026
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Then their own mother turned venom against them, the object of their wounding telling them that the shape of their wounds was never really there.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Maliciousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maliciousness. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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