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
-
This is not someone who is going to kill someone out of malice.—
Maureen Maher,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2025
-
These steps are particularly important when installing extensions or apps from Google, given the much higher incidence of malice being reported over the past decade from its offerings.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
11 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Though interesting to look at, the Portuguese man-of-war’s venom can be deadly to small fish and painful to humans, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.—
Natalie Demaree,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2025
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The venom also contains hemorrhagic toxins which can cause severe internal bleeding and skeletal muscle damage.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
3 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
There’s a great line: Honesty without compassion equals cruelty.—
Jayson Jenks,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2025
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In each of these films, cruelty commingles with tenderness, and hideous acts take place against backdrops of often stunning natural beauty.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
While highlighting the vicious cycle of ethnic hatred, Gavin strives for impartiality.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Apr. 2025
-
Love has triumphed over hatred, light over darkness and truth over falsehood.—
Fernando Cervantes Jr.,
USA Today,
22 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
At this age, malignancy was always on the list of possibilities for almost any new symptom.—
Lisa Sanders, M.D.,
New York Times,
4 Apr. 2025
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Liquid biopsies must detect cancer early, differentiate between malignancies and avoid the pitfalls of false positives and negatives.—
Mariya Filipova,
Forbes,
3 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Malignance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malignance. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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