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
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of malicious
Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2025
Getty Images The rise of generative AI and large language models has drastically shifted the cybersecurity landscape, empowering attackers with easy-to-use tools that can create realistic video and voice deepfakes, personalized phishing campaigns, and malware and malicious code.
—Ian Thomas, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2025
Cybercriminals often scan inactive IP ranges, using them for various malicious activities.
—Vincentas Grinius, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
How the Facebook crypto scam works Bitdefender Labs reports that a malicious ad campaign has been running on Facebook for several months.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for malicious
Adjective
Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said Plum didn’t have malicious intent.
—Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 10 Aug. 2025
Getty Images The rise of generative AI and large language models has drastically shifted the cybersecurity landscape, empowering attackers with easy-to-use tools that can create realistic video and voice deepfakes, personalized phishing campaigns, and malware and malicious code.
—Ian Thomas, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2025
Cybercriminals often scan inactive IP ranges, using them for various malicious activities.
—Vincentas Grinius, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025
How the Facebook crypto scam works Bitdefender Labs reports that a malicious ad campaign has been running on Facebook for several months.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for malicious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malicious
Adjective
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Feeling profoundly betrayed and abandoned by David, Rebecca’s loyalty lies with the vicious and conniving Juno, the only family she’s known for the last decade.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
13 Aug. 2025
-
Nothing could possibly go wrong with all the vicious alien specimens on board, right?—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
12 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Actual malice means a reporter or press outlet knew their story was false or else acted with reckless disregard for the truth.—
Stephanie A,
The Conversation,
4 Aug. 2025
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Betrayal beyond one’s control may involve situations like forgetting an important date due to stress or feeling overwhelmed, hurting others’ feelings unintentionally by making careless comments or blunders made out of misunderstanding rather than malice.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
Adjective
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That is a particularly egregious example of how the Trump Administration has been gratuitously cruel to the Sudanese.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
5 Aug. 2025
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Stacy, Tim’s wife, also died of pancreatic cancer five months later in February of 2024, a cruel hand for a family that for years had gone above and beyond in their efforts to raise money and awareness for cancer research.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
3 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Common in deserts across central and southern Arizona and known for its docile nature, its venom is mild, comparable to a bee sting, and bites are rare.—
Tiffany Acosta,
AZCentral.com,
4 Aug. 2025
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Do not attempt to suck out venom: This is not effective and can cause further damage to the wound.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Austin American Statesman,
31 July 2025
Adjective
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The nonprofit’s promotional ads were on social media including Facebook, where it was met with some explicitly hateful comments aimed at the LGBTQ community, Carolina Theatre spokesman Jared Misner said.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
15 Aug. 2025
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They were targeted, hateful attempts to intimidate and silence members of our community.—
David Ferrara,
The Enquirer,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Whereas the Star Wars sequels woefully misused the actor's talents, this movie puts them center stage, playing one of the teen hoodlums who join forces with their victim to fight off nasty, otherworldly invaders.—
Chris Snellgrove,
EW.com,
12 Aug. 2025
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Things could be reversed if prompt actions are taken to get vaccination rates back up again before the different nasty microbes can spread too far in the U.S. population.—
Bruce Y. Lee,
Forbes.com,
10 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Already, talks for a prequel, exploring the origins of the malevolent force at the film’s center, are underway.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
13 Aug. 2025
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The malevolent mother’s whisper campaign did the trick.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
11 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Maybe the Iranians could propose that name change in spiteful retaliation.—
Peter Lucas,
Boston Herald,
12 May 2025
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Stewart’s switch from his usual snark to imitate Colbert’s buffoonery proved how spiteful and irreligious political humor has become since the left’s worship of Barack Obama and subsequent persecution of President Trump.—
Armond White,
National Review,
25 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Malicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malicious. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.
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