as in cruel
feeling or showing a desire to cause harm or pain
a mean-spirited person He wrote a mean-spirited book review.
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Recent Examples of mean-spirited
While most are supportive, a fair number are critical, even mean-spirited.
—
Barbara Vandenburgh, USA TODAY, 16 June 2023
Barbara Vandenburgh, USA TODAY, 16 June 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mean-spirited
Adjective
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That is unacceptably cruel, corrupt, and undemocratic.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
7 Nov. 2025
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Instead, she was stripped of her bronze medal after a late score inquiry—a ruling that still feels cruel for an athlete who had delivered the performance of her life.—
Essence,
Essence,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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But his preposterously wide net, his endless minions, and his vicious style left us no choice but to scale back on the data center theme.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
10 Nov. 2025
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Tommy's new relationship with Mireya Garcia (Carmela Zumbado) has sparked a face-off with her brother and the leader of the vicious drug gang Insane Princes, Miguel (Manuel Eduardo Ramirez).—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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West has previously apologized to the Jewish community, only to go on to make offensive and hateful remarks directed at them publicly.—
Marni Rose McFall,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Nov. 2025
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Dearborn is home to the largest concentration of Arab Americans in the US and has frequently faced Islamophobic and hateful remarks.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The growth of passive investing, through index funds found in the 401(k) accounts of average Americans, has propped up the stock market while also potentially setting it up for a nasty fall.—
Mark Dent,
HubSpot,
7 Nov. 2025
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Instead of this stuff that's raised overseas that's done in ways that doesn't have any checks, that it's got polluted water, it's being fed really nasty stuff, full of antibiotics, full of chemicals.—
Dan Morrison,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Social media were a bit more unkind.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
6 Nov. 2025
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There’s a difference between sharing opinions that have been widely held on topics and hate speech that is unkind, uses names or wishes harm, by Doherty’s description.—
Darcie Moran,
Freep.com,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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So how will Stevie, who shares a bedroom with her obnoxious little brother, Elliot (Elias Janssen), keep the family together?—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
9 Nov. 2025
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Various new characters join in on the fun, including Chris Elliott’s Riff Raff-style butler and Tori Spelling’s obnoxious try-hard friend, Alex.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Meester holds her cards close to her chest, leaving us to wonder whether Joanne is being spiteful and shallow (given her trajectory … probably) or whether this woman is really that unbearable.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
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Several diss tracks followed, with the musicians hurling increasingly spiteful insults at each other relating to accusations of domestic abuse, exploitation and pedophilia.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The band was concerned about their record label’s reaction, but despite the movie’s scene with a Myers cameo as a contemptuous exec, Reid insists there was no confrontation.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
24 Sep. 2025
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There are some good, compassionate officers out there, but the general attitude has become cold, cruel and contemptuous toward homeless individuals.—
Bruce Higgins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mean-spirited.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mean-spirited. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
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