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
Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 16 Jan. 2025
The work ahead will be to encourage Trump’s better instincts, counter his more malign ones, and channel both into something resembling a coherent and constructive grand strategy.
—Charles A. Kupchan, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
Bennet Goldstein, jsonline.com, 4 July 2025
He has been much maligned throughout his NBA tenure for his motor and underperformance as a former top selection from the 2018 NBA Draft.
—Kambui Bomani, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for malign
Adjective
The movie, which will have its European premiere at the fest, revolves around a young father whose hold on reality crumbles as a seemingly malign presence begins to stalk him following the death of his wife.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 16 Jan. 2025
The work ahead will be to encourage Trump’s better instincts, counter his more malign ones, and channel both into something resembling a coherent and constructive grand strategy.
—Charles A. Kupchan, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
Trump’s administration had maligned so many communities, creating a coherent rallying cry seemed impossible.
—Bennet Goldstein, jsonline.com, 4 July 2025
He has been much maligned throughout his NBA tenure for his motor and underperformance as a former top selection from the 2018 NBA Draft.
—Kambui Bomani, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for malign
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malign
Adjective
-
Accessing the code prompts recipients to provide personal and financial information, or can lead to downloading malicious software.—
Laura Daniella Sepulveda,
AZCentral.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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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
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As Wallace and Gromit investigate this mysterious thief, their paths cross with the cruel, trigger-happy Lord Victor Quartermaine (Ralph Fiennes), who has his own ambitions for the competition and Wallace’s love interest, Lady Tottington (Helena Bonham Carter).—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
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The series centers on a group of kids with latent or emerging special abilities who are subjected to cruel experiments at the mysterious institute of the title, along with a local cop (Ben Barnes) whose story intersects with that of the kids.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Priscilla has, in turn, smeared Kruse and Fialko with false lies and malicious campaigns.—
Stephanie Giang-Paunon,
FOXNews.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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Plastic faded the blonde color of butter with age and the lettering smeared away, big thumbprint smearing a lilac hollow through the violet plastic of the power button.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Aug. 2025
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
Verb
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But rather than vilifying or muzzling proxy advisors, a few simple changes could make the proxy process more open, fair, and thoughtful.—
Sarah Keohane Williamson,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025
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The menu addition fueled strong same-store sales growth and profits for the upstart chain. ‘Never been vilified’ Eateries are seeking to attract diners like Jared Hutkowski, a 42-year-old director of brokerage in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.—
Amelia Lucas,
CNBC,
9 Aug. 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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Klum and Kaulitz, who tied the knot in 2019, have been on the receiving end of hateful remarks due to their 17-year age gap.—
Tracy Wright,
FOXNews.com,
11 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Malign.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malign. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.
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