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
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Recent Examples of viciously
An arm of the IRGC, the Basij are paramilitary volunteers notorious among Iranians for taking the lead in viciously attacking protesters in the streets.
—
Kay Armin Serjoie, Time, 1 Mar. 2026
Pitbull ownership was banned in Independence from 2006 to 2023 after a man named Alan Hill was viciously attacked by several pit bulls.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 28 Feb. 2026
Last summer, 23-year-old Iryna was riding home on the train when a deranged monster, who had been arrested over a dozen times and was released through no cash bail, stood up and viciously slashed a knife through her neck and body.
—February 25, NPR, 25 Feb. 2026
One kind of viciously efficient profit motive was seeking the destruction of a somewhat different business mode.
—Scott Eden, Rolling Stone, 1 Feb. 2026
For many, qualifying will represent the fruition of a lifelong, viciously competitive goal.
—NBC news, 20 Jan. 2026
Nickerson, 13, succumbed to his injuries two days after he was viciously attacked by two Cane Corsos and a Rottweiler, according to CBC, Global News and The Globe and Mail.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 11 Jan. 2026
The 89-minute running time doesn’t allow much exposition, and in fact the opening sequence shows a veterinarian coming to treat a sickly Ben before having his face viciously torn off.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2026
Adusei said her brother barely had time to unwind and unpack from his overseas trip before he was viciously attacked.
—Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
Kay Armin Serjoie, Time, 1 Mar. 2026
Pitbull ownership was banned in Independence from 2006 to 2023 after a man named Alan Hill was viciously attacked by several pit bulls.
—Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 28 Feb. 2026
Last summer, 23-year-old Iryna was riding home on the train when a deranged monster, who had been arrested over a dozen times and was released through no cash bail, stood up and viciously slashed a knife through her neck and body.
—February 25, NPR, 25 Feb. 2026
One kind of viciously efficient profit motive was seeking the destruction of a somewhat different business mode.
—Scott Eden, Rolling Stone, 1 Feb. 2026
For many, qualifying will represent the fruition of a lifelong, viciously competitive goal.
—NBC news, 20 Jan. 2026
Nickerson, 13, succumbed to his injuries two days after he was viciously attacked by two Cane Corsos and a Rottweiler, according to CBC, Global News and The Globe and Mail.
—Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 11 Jan. 2026
The 89-minute running time doesn’t allow much exposition, and in fact the opening sequence shows a veterinarian coming to treat a sickly Ben before having his face viciously torn off.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 8 Jan. 2026
Adusei said her brother barely had time to unwind and unpack from his overseas trip before he was viciously attacked.
—Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 7 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for viciously
Adverb
-
The legislation from Attorney General Brenna Bird also raises the penalties for threatening judges or their families and maliciously sharing their personal information.—
Stephen Gruber-Miller,
Des Moines Register,
25 Feb. 2026
-
That language is weaponized so maliciously throughout Aïnouz’s second English-language feature speaks to his intent to unnerve the audience relentlessly.—
David Opie,
IndieWire,
15 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
In other words, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.—
Derek Robertson,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Aug. 2025
Adverb
-
Behind the front, bitterly cold Arctic air filters back into the area.—
Andrew Kozak,
CBS News,
1 Mar. 2026
-
Since October last year, Russia has intensified its drone and missile attacks on the Ukrainian energy system, knocking out electricity and heat and plunging millions of Ukrainians into long blackouts during bitterly cold winter temperatures.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
21 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
And so wickedly smart to call it.—
Safiyah Riddle,
Fortune,
23 Jan. 2026
-
And so wickedly smart to call it.—
Safiyah Riddle,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Jan. 2026
Adverb
-
Its rise is partly due to its strong, virulently nativist campaign against immigrants, calling for mass deportation.—
Trudy Rubin,
Mercury News,
20 Dec. 2025
-
This is a high watermark for the European far right, a once fringe movement whose virulently anti-immigration, anti-Islam and culture-war politics were shunned by the mainstream just a decade ago.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
13 Aug. 2025
Adverb
-
Images of Labubus beamed malevolently from their packaging, as if gloating in their unreachability.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
20 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Viciously.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/viciously. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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