MALIGN Synonyms: 127 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'malign' different from other adjectives like it?

The words baleful and sinister are common synonyms of malign . While all three words mean "seriously threatening evil or disaster," malign applies to what is inherently evil or harmful. // the malign effects of racism

Q: When could 'baleful' be used to replace 'malign'?

In some situations, the words baleful and malign are roughly equivalent. However, baleful imputes perniciousness or destructiveness to something whether working openly or covertly. // exerting a corrupt and baleful influence

Q: When would 'sinister' be a good substitute for 'malign'?

The synonyms sinister and malign are sometimes interchangeable, but sinister suggests a general or vague feeling of fear or apprehension on the part of the observer. // a sinister aura haunts the place

malign 1 of 2

adjective

mə-ˈlīn

Definition of malign next

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

malign

2 of 2

verb

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

Synonym Chooser

How is the word malign different from other adjectives like it?

The words baleful and sinister are common synonyms of malign. While all three words mean "seriously threatening evil or disaster," malign applies to what is inherently evil or harmful.

the malign effects of racism

When could baleful be used to replace malign?

In some situations, the words baleful and malign are roughly equivalent. However, baleful imputes perniciousness or destructiveness to something whether working openly or covertly.

exerting a corrupt and baleful influence

When would sinister be a good substitute for malign?

The synonyms sinister and malign are sometimes interchangeable, but sinister suggests a general or vague feeling of fear or apprehension on the part of the observer.

a sinister aura haunts the place

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of malign

Adjective

That limitation, plus the nature of the vehicles and the target of their surveillance, strongly suggests that malign foreign actors launched them from inside the United States. —

Brynn Tannehill, The Atlantic, 31 Mar. 2026 Regime change in Iran, or weakening its malign capabilities, will not address the underlying causes of turmoil in the Middle East. —

Frederic Wehrey, Time, 24 Mar. 2026

Verb

While Nelson Mandela became South Africa's first Black president and a global icon – having spent 27 years in jail for his role in the fight against apartheid – his wife Winnie, who was arguably just as instrumental in that fight, has been widely maligned. —

Kate Bartlett, NPR, 2 May 2026 Trump has repeatedly maligned Haitian immigrants, including falsely accusing Haitians living in Ohio of eating people’s pets. —

Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for malign

Recent Examples of Synonyms for malign

Adjective

The core challenge of adapting systems of trust to the agentic economy is distinguishing legitimate from malicious automation without harming the user experience.

— Andrew Sever, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
The addition was a prompt injection, a form of AI attack that exploits an LLM’s inability to distinguish between legitimate user prompts and those from unauthorized, potentially malicious third parties.

— Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 28 May 2026