as in malice
the desire to cause pain for the satisfaction of doing harm
the reviewer was criticized not for his negative review of the singer's album but for the malignance with which he expressed his disapproval of her lavish lifestyle
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Recent Examples of malignance
This is a movement that many progressives view as promising to reinvigorate hearts and minds, but that others warn may deliver different doses of theological malignance.
—
Audrey Clare Farley, The New Republic, 3 Jan. 2022
Where purity culture twists normal desires into malignance?
—Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2021
By definition Mishler’s content attracts people seeking refuge, but the exceptional malignance of 2020 has colored both her videos and the attitude of her fan base.
—New York Times, 25 Nov. 2020
Consequently, the growth disruption itself has exacerbated the cultural and economic malignance that helped create the underperforming trend in the first place.
—David L. Bahnsen, National Review, 13 Feb. 2018
Audrey Clare Farley, The New Republic, 3 Jan. 2022
Where purity culture twists normal desires into malignance?
—Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2021
By definition Mishler’s content attracts people seeking refuge, but the exceptional malignance of 2020 has colored both her videos and the attitude of her fan base.
—New York Times, 25 Nov. 2020
Consequently, the growth disruption itself has exacerbated the cultural and economic malignance that helped create the underperforming trend in the first place.
—David L. Bahnsen, National Review, 13 Feb. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malignance
Noun
-
The task is advanced by our malice toward one, and that one is Mary.—
Thomas Mallon,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
Most environments do not fail out of malice.—
Bill Schiffmiller,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
When picturing a predator, most people envision an animal with immense speed, sharp teeth or deadly venom.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2026
-
Some people have an allergic reaction to the venom.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
That’s one of the great cruelties of the world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
-
The movie, set in Spain in 1944, is both an intoxicating work of fantasy and a grim parable of political rebellion, and its insights into the cruelties and vulnerabilities of fascist power remain undimmed.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Many exiles, however, disagreed with that view and said the incident had only renewed their hatred for Castro.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
20 May 2026
-
America remains the only large country in history where Jews have become fully equal citizens under a constitutional order strong enough, so far, to withstand waves of hatred and scapegoating.—
Michael W. Sonnenfeldt,
The Atlantic,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
Cancers of the head and neck include malignancies affecting the mouth and throat (called the oral cavity and pharynx), the voice box (larynx), the sinuses and nasal cavities, and the salivary glands.—
Mikkael Sekeres,
Washington Post,
18 May 2026
-
And in 2025, UCSD researchers were awarded $25 million to develop biomarkers capable of anticipating tumor evolution and predicting how malignancies will respond to treatment.—
Paul Sisson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Malignance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malignance. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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