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
Arkansas Online, 26 Mar. 2026
According to a recent investigation by cybersecurity firm Gen Threat Labs, more than 18,000 OpenClaw instances are already exposed to internet attacks, and almost 15 percent of them contain malicious instructions.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026
Automated traffic includes popular features like Google’s AI Overview and autofill, and is not necessarily malicious.
—Lola Murti, CNBC, 26 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
See All Example Sentences for malicious
Adjective
The settlement resolves a 2023 lawsuit in which Flynn sought at least $50 million and asserted that the criminal case against him amounted to a malicious prosecution.
—Arkansas Online, 26 Mar. 2026
According to a recent investigation by cybersecurity firm Gen Threat Labs, more than 18,000 OpenClaw instances are already exposed to internet attacks, and almost 15 percent of them contain malicious instructions.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 26 Mar. 2026
Automated traffic includes popular features like Google’s AI Overview and autofill, and is not necessarily malicious.
—Lola Murti, CNBC, 26 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
See All Example Sentences for malicious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malicious
Adjective
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Moreover, this isn’t your responsibility, particularly after a history of such vicious attacks.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
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Be cautious — but don’t write off rattlesnakes as vicious, the experts say.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Officers arrested Granger on Tuesday and charged him with rape, aggravated assault, malice murder, and two counts of felony murder.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
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Peterson said there was no evidence of malice by Dance and that good faith is presumed for public officers.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Its tulle is brittle and sharp, brushing against my fur like a thousand tiny teeth, a cruel lover that bites with every move.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
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Because here’s the last, and cruelest, kicker.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The very notion of national unity in a time of war seems utterly beyond this president, who follows his capricious instincts and continues, as ever, to spray venom at domestic opponents (and, for that matter, allies) when they are needed to wage and win the war.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
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Also in the rattlesnake win column, their venom has been a major source of inspiration for medical treatments, Taylor said.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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For generations, students have learned about complex historical figures who, despite their positive contributions to society, were inarguably problematic, hateful or bigoted while alive.—
Kristy Hutchings,
Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
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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
Adjective
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The culprit is a nasty invasive plant, which became one of the most popular landscape trees available − the Bradford pear.—
Campbell Vaughn,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2026
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Weather officials warned of a warm front moving through north central and northeast Illinois possibly creating nasty weather of thunderstorms, damaging winds and large hail.—
Deanese Williams-Harris,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Developed by Andy Muschietti and Barbara Muschietti, the series expands the mythology of Derry, Maine, exploring the origins of Pennywise, the malevolent entity at the center of King’s iconic story.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2026
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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
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
Cite this Entry
“Malicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malicious. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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