as in malice
the desire to cause pain for the satisfaction of doing harm
nothing more than unprovoked meanness drove him to smash the child's toy
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Recent Examples of meanness
After 1965, when African Americans’ right to vote was constitutionally recognized, the meanness continued.
—
Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 May 2026
The collective community is more important than the individual, and care trumps meanness.
—Sarah Wang, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
Trump’s petulance, meanness, and willingness to punish a religious institution for its Church’s moral witness is a warning to every faith community in America.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2026
Would there be perpetual meanness and the absence of kindness toward each other as human beings?
—Kevin Powell, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
The result is a movie where the jokes are just mean, and the meanness isn’t funny, leading to a cynical denouement that’s been done many times before.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 16 Mar. 2026
Scott inflicts Ohm’s nonchalant meanness with a piercingly perverse matter-of-factness that places the character as far away as possible from the realm of likeability.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
There is still some of that here, but a lot of Martin’s light-touch meanness is drowned out by his insistence on describing his characters within the context of early COVID — pulling out those masks from the closet.
—Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
There is still some of that here, but a lot of Martin’s light-touch meanness is drowned out by his insistence on describing his characters within the context of early COVID — pulling out those masks from the closet.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 May 2026
The collective community is more important than the individual, and care trumps meanness.
—Sarah Wang, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
Trump’s petulance, meanness, and willingness to punish a religious institution for its Church’s moral witness is a warning to every faith community in America.
—Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 19 Apr. 2026
Would there be perpetual meanness and the absence of kindness toward each other as human beings?
—Kevin Powell, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
The result is a movie where the jokes are just mean, and the meanness isn’t funny, leading to a cynical denouement that’s been done many times before.
—Katie Rife, IndieWire, 16 Mar. 2026
Scott inflicts Ohm’s nonchalant meanness with a piercingly perverse matter-of-factness that places the character as far away as possible from the realm of likeability.
—Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026
There is still some of that here, but a lot of Martin’s light-touch meanness is drowned out by his insistence on describing his characters within the context of early COVID — pulling out those masks from the closet.
—Literary Hub, 12 Mar. 2026
There is still some of that here, but a lot of Martin’s light-touch meanness is drowned out by his insistence on describing his characters within the context of early COVID — pulling out those masks from the closet.
—Emma Alpern, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for meanness
Noun
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Jurors decided that Grossman also acted with malice and oppression and Erickson acted with malice, oppression, or fraud.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
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The jury also found that Grossman and Erickson acted with malice, potentially triggering a punitive damages phase of trial that could result in further penalties.—
Julie Sharp,
CBS News,
3 June 2026
Noun
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To make the musical masterpiece of his dreams, Lestat will have to break on through his shell of witty cruelty and hope an authentic soul remains intact beneath it.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
2 June 2026
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She was arrested at a hotel near the barn and booked at the Clark County Juvenile Hall on 12 counts of animal cruelty, including intentionally aiming or torturing a horse, as well as three counts of malicious destruction of property.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
Noun
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Even after a jellyfish dies, its tentacles can continue to release venom through microscopic stinging cells.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
3 June 2026
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The snake's venom is highly toxic, but its small size reduces the risk of a fatal bite.—
Jack Armstrong,
Memphis Commercial Appeal,
3 June 2026
Noun
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Monday showed why the Middle East’s generational hatreds are so often treacherous for American presidents.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
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More deeply, San Diego’s Muslims have been puzzling over the roots of the hatred that sent two young men into a holy place with the intent to commit mass murder.—
Roxana Popescu,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Meanness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/meanness. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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