as in malicious
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it
the gossip would utter the most vicious things with a spiteful smile
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Recent Examples of spiteful
That the spiteful man sees only as far as the spiteful man can, and that can produce a work of art that is successful, but maybe not ultimately great.
—
David Frum, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
Tourette’s can feel spiteful and searches out the most upsetting tic for me personally and for those around me.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 24 Feb. 2026
Melvin Williams, a professor of communication and media studies at Pace University, says the spiteful nature of Swift and Lively's texts doesn't reflect well on either woman − and both have probably lost some fans as a result.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 29 Jan. 2026
If not for Camilla, who’d gone out of her way to take Regina in, even letting her share the bedroom with her and Lalla, the others wouldn’t have welcomed her—not out of spite, no, because none of them were spiteful after all, but out of indifference, selfishness, plain and simple.
—Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spiteful
David Frum, The Atlantic, 25 Mar. 2026
Tourette’s can feel spiteful and searches out the most upsetting tic for me personally and for those around me.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 24 Feb. 2026
Melvin Williams, a professor of communication and media studies at Pace University, says the spiteful nature of Swift and Lively's texts doesn't reflect well on either woman − and both have probably lost some fans as a result.
—Charles Trepany, USA Today, 29 Jan. 2026
If not for Camilla, who’d gone out of her way to take Regina in, even letting her share the bedroom with her and Lalla, the others wouldn’t have welcomed her—not out of spite, no, because none of them were spiteful after all, but out of indifference, selfishness, plain and simple.
—Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spiteful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spiteful
Adjective
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The Celeste team argues that large, heavy drones pose a serious cybersecurity risk, as they could be hijacked and used for harm by malicious hackers.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
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That’s not necessarily malicious.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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In the late '90s and early '00s, Pamela Anderson became a tabloid fixture who was frequently the butt of cruel jokes alongside many other female celebrities of the era.—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 May 2026
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But fate, cruel and sudden, had other ideas.—
Greg Engle,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
Adjective
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Another thankless gig leads Ben to Cat Hardy (Li Jun Li), a nightclub singer with ties to Brendan Gleeson‘s Silvermane, a vicious mobster engaged in an increasingly heated conflict with the city’s mayor (Michael Kostroff).—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
22 May 2026
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There are the victims, their families, and lives left shattered because of a single person’s vicious wrath.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
20 May 2026
Adjective
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Given the current political climate, especially in Washington — created by the hateful Dems — a ballroom is essential for all members of both parties.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
13 May 2026
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Michael’s hateful words come from a desperate desire not to return home, Moss-Bachrach says.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
Adjective
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Those forests were previously home to bats, a natural reservoir for all kinds of nasty viruses.—
Neil Vora,
Time,
22 May 2026
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Still, his vice president’s now president, and his very, very nasty minister of justice is, some say, the power behind the throne.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
20 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spiteful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spiteful. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
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