as in malicious
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it
both parties to the divorce showed a malign desire to make each other's future life utterly miserable
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to libel
to make untrue and harmful statements about
a candidate who believes that it is possible to win an election without maligning anyone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of malign
Camila Osorio, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2026
This crisis comes as the United States casts doubt on its role as Europe’s security and strategic guarantor, a malign and militarized Russia presents a growing existential threat, and Europe’s inability to harness its collective economic resources undermines its collective defense.
—Douglas Rediker, Foreign Affairs, 17 Dec. 2025
Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 31 Jan. 2026
While leopard print has long been everywhere, and cow and deer print are experiencing somewhat of a revival, tiger stripes feel much more maligned.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for malign
Adjective
The jais are believed to be malign forces that appear mostly at night, taking over their victims’ consciousness and forcing them to end their lives.
—Camila Osorio, New Yorker, 17 Jan. 2026
This crisis comes as the United States casts doubt on its role as Europe’s security and strategic guarantor, a malign and militarized Russia presents a growing existential threat, and Europe’s inability to harness its collective economic resources undermines its collective defense.
—Douglas Rediker, Foreign Affairs, 17 Dec. 2025
Verb
Texas has been maligned for its lack of bench production this season, but Lassina Traore, Chendall Weaver and Simeon Wilcher have all been on the court during this decisive late run.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 31 Jan. 2026
While leopard print has long been everywhere, and cow and deer print are experiencing somewhat of a revival, tiger stripes feel much more maligned.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for malign
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malign
Adjective
-
In reality, the messages are loaded with a malicious attachment.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Jason Hughes Many who left comments on the petition emphasized that Hughes' death did not come out of a malicious act and that the teenagers will have to live with the death for the rest of their lives.—
Maya Rosenberg,
NBC news,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
In 2022, Manhattan Federal Judge Jed Rakoff, who presided over both trials, decided The Times was not liable for defamation while jurors were deliberating, that the error amounted to unfortunate editorializing but not libel.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
22 Apr. 2025
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As a new, inexpensive Chevrolet appeared in 1927 and The Dearborn Independent was sued for libeling a number of Jewish businessmen, Ford threw in the towel and apologized.—
George Pendle,
airmail.news,
15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
That’s the cruel beauty of golf.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Few Iranians will mourn the demise of the cruel and murderous Ayatollah Khamenei or his cohorts, and a large segment of Iranians want the corrupt religious regime gone.—
Trudy Rubin,
Twin Cities,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Micron has come a long way since its humble founding nearly half a century ago in the basement of a Boise dental office, where sedative gas wafted through the floorboards and an early executive used a hair dryer to keep the company’s logo from smearing off its chips.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
11 Mar. 2026
-
There’s a very good reason why audiences emerged from that movie ready to smear lipstick all over their faces for Halloween and then march in costume down to the Dolby Theater to demand an Oscar nomination.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Ironically, that war emboldened Iran, as the vicious Iraqi strongman was a regional counterbalance to the vicious mullahs.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The Islamic State, or ISIS, the most vicious terror group ever, found Iraq to be the perfect launching pad for its marauders.—
Nolan Finley,
Twin Cities,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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His medical records, bank records and personal family history were dissected, mocked, and vilified.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
11 Mar. 2026
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Even as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is vilifying his texting buddy for killing Ali Khamenei, Iranians in New York (and London, Los Angeles and around the world) are dancing with joy in the streets.—
Betsy McCaughey,
Boston Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Columnist Joe Gerth wonders what his mother, a member of a church that stands against hateful immigration policies, thinks.—
Stephanie Stremplewski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
6 Mar. 2026
-
This has allowed this unauthorized user unfettered access to those frequencies to transmit hateful and threatening messaging, potentially disrupting vital police, fire and EMS communications.—
Andy Sheehan,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Malign.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malign. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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