VICIOUSLY Synonyms: 91 Similar and Opposite Words

viciously

adverb

Definition of viciously

as in hatefully

in a mean or spiteful manner the administrator viciously denied me the time off that I needed to attend my dear aunt's funeral

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 viciously Noa dances viciously, slamming her body raw in front of the stage. — Robert Rubsam, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2026 In an early 2000s commercial, Michelob Ultra portrayed a woman getting viciously tackled in a football game at a park. — Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Reyes allegedly smashed a hole through a closet wall from the neighboring apartment and viciously attacked the teen. — Samira Asma-Sadeque, PEOPLE, 14 Aug. 2026 Enzo Fernandez, who already was booked for a first-half yellow card, viciously tackled Spanish defender Pau Cubarsí. — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 19 July 2026 Yet somehow, two decades later, the viciously antisemitic Vichy regime planted itself in power; a shocking betrayal by France of some of its most loyal and generous supporters, in a dehumanizing toxic swamp of suspicion, judgment, envy. — Literary Hub, 17 July 2026 Formalizing the sports practice was a natural next step, Lopez said, as Paul Hastings operates in an industry where firms viciously compete for market share. — Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 13 July 2026 Smashed with the instep of Mbappe’s right foot, the ball arced viciously into the top-right corner, beyond Bounou’s despairing dive. — Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 9 July 2026 At the end of a two-week trial, the verdict went strongly in favor of Maria Avila, who was viciously attacked by Hades, a 200-pound Caucasian shepherd owned by Brown, while emptying trash outside the singer’s Tarzana, California house. — Chris Willman, Variety, 1 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for viciously

Adverb

The president, who has long insisted that someone maliciously vandalized the lining of the pool with a knife or boxcutter, first rebuked Pirro's decision to drop the Hearn case in a Saturday social media post.

— Emily Chang, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026
During his arraignment a month later, Brown pleaded not guilty to one count of attempting to unlawfully and maliciously cause grievous bodily harm with intent.

— Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026

Definition of maliciously

Adverb

In the case of severe winds during bitterly cold weather, look for elk on leeward slopes where they’re offered some protection.

— Jim Zumbo, Outdoor Life, 10 Sep. 2026
Homer Hill, as the name suggests, is also at no little altitude, and bitterly exposed to the elements when winter arrives.

— Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of bitterly

Adverb

Inspired by the Old Hollywood bon vivants Hendrix grew up admiring —Zsa Zsa Gabor, among them — Lucy is a wickedly sharp and glamorous 1940s socialite whose shows blend crowd work, magic and vaudevillian stunts.

— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 7 Sep. 2026
Liu would be a great first pick — funny, wickedly brilliant and savvy.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of wickedly

Adverb

But last year Sa’ar instructed Israeli diplomats to set up channels to France’s National Rally, Spain’s ultranationalist Vox party, and the far-right Sweden Democrats—all of which espouse virulently Islamophobic platforms.

— Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 13 Aug. 2026
We were warned by President and Supreme Allied Commander Dwight Eisenhower, along with United States Marine Major General Smedley Butler about the virulently toxic, corruptive and destabilizing influences exerted upon our government by the military industrial complex.

— Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2026