1
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
a vicious winter storm ripped through the region
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in brutal
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others
she made a vicious effort to destroy the lives of the people who had wronged her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unlawful
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable
a truly vicious person detested by almost everyone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in savage
violently unfriendly or aggressive in disposition
a vicious dog that has already bitten several people
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in malicious
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it
he spread vicious rumors about his ex-wife after their bitter divorce
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of vicious
The Republican tax bill could push food assistance in Colorado into a vicious cycle of funding cuts, increasing mistakes in determining eligibility and further funding cuts to punish those mistakes, Gov. Jared Polis warned in a letter to congressional leaders Friday.
—
Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 16 June 2025
Plaschke delivers a vicious uppercut to his opponent.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2025
From scene to scene, Revival might shift between a crime thriller about Dana taking on a vicious family of drug dealers, to a YA romance about Em falling in love with Rhodey, to a horror show about fighting off the deadly undead.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2025
And then there's a vicious cycle that could emerge if JetZero does succeed in dramatically cutting costs.
—Calif.
senior Correspondent, Time, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for vicious
Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 16 June 2025
Plaschke delivers a vicious uppercut to his opponent.
—Los Angeles Times, 14 June 2025
From scene to scene, Revival might shift between a crime thriller about Dana taking on a vicious family of drug dealers, to a YA romance about Em falling in love with Rhodey, to a horror show about fighting off the deadly undead.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 12 June 2025
And then there's a vicious cycle that could emerge if JetZero does succeed in dramatically cutting costs.
—Calif.
senior Correspondent, Time, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for vicious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vicious
Adjective
-
Early Friday morning, intense rain caused flash flooding across Texas Hill Country.—
Rebecca Angel Baer,
Southern Living,
6 July 2025
-
There were several safety cars during the race, along with changing conditions with periods of intense rain followed by a drying track.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 July 2025
Adjective
-
Each of the disciples have their own secrets to bear, life taking them on some brutal pathways, the piece leaning into powerful introspection.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
28 June 2025
-
Just over a decade had passed since the end of the brutal twelve-year-long conflict, and street protests often ended in violence.—
Graciela Mochkofsky,
New Yorker,
28 June 2025
Adjective
-
Jorge Garibay said in a statement Friday, adding that the efforts were aimed at reducing fire risk and unlawful activity throughout the city.—
Jason Green,
Mercury News,
28 June 2025
-
The court cited the First Amendment (freedom of speech), the Fourth Amendment (protection against unlawful search and seizure), and the Fourteenth Amendment (due process and equal protection).—
Ashley Fredde,
Idaho Statesman,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
As savage Arctic cold was getting ready to surge south across North America, vivid imagery based on data from weather models showed us what was going to happen.—
Tom Yulsman,
Discover Magazine,
27 Dec. 2022
-
The 2023 grand marshal is former Arizona Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords, gravely wounded in a savage mass shooting in 2011 that also killed six people.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Dec. 2022
Adjective
-
The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
28 June 2025
-
Nor are alligators the consistently malicious snappers of Kristi Noem’s dreams.—
Pat Beall,
Sun Sentinel,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
Designed to withstand intensive training, Lacoste’s abrasion-resistant piqué fabric is made with Ultra Dry moisture-wicking technology for more breathable wear.—
Lauren Alexis Fisher,
Footwear News,
27 June 2025
-
Oftentimes, enrolling in an intensive language program qualifies someone for a student visa, depending on the requirements of that country (more on that later).—
Chloe Arrojado,
AFAR Media,
27 June 2025
Adjective
-
Politics remains a cruel business and the governor has been on the frontline of it for nearly 20 years, winning and losing.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
5 July 2025
-
They were joined by actors playing the contestants, who lurched along wearing expressions of exaggerated horror, as though the cruel stakes of the game had just been revealed to them.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 July 2025
Adjective
-
After an early tutorial sequence where players learn the ropes of controlling the powerful yet agile ape, the story introduces its antagonists: Void Company, an evil corporate mining operation hell-bent on creating a golden banana monopoly.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
1 July 2025
-
Idaho senators denounce 'evil attack' in Idaho that killed firefighters 12:44 PM EDT Zohran Mamdani not fully embraced by top New York Democrats Zohran Mamdani has not yet been fully embraced by top New York Democrats after his apparent victory in the New York City mayoral primary last week.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vicious. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share