1
as in malice
the desire to cause pain for the satisfaction of doing harm
simple viciousness can be the only reason for spreading such vile, unfounded rumors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cruelty
disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others
the unspeakable viciousness of some dictators in the past
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of viciousness
Here was an artist, a father, murdering someone with a viciousness that went beyond self-preservation.
—
Seamus Sullivan
september 29, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025
The movie’s grand centerpiece is a dinner party where Theo and Ivy go at each other with such viciousness that their guests can only stand by and watch, aghast.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 Aug. 2025
Seamus Sullivan
september 29, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2025
The movie’s grand centerpiece is a dinner party where Theo and Ivy go at each other with such viciousness that their guests can only stand by and watch, aghast.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for viciousness
Noun
-
More than avoiding malice, we are called to take responsibility for the impact of our words.—
Andrew Weinstein,
Time,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Understand that controlling behaviors may stem from fear and insecurity rather than malice.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Cobb was arrested and charged with murder in the second degree and cruelty to children in the second degree, both felonies, police said.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Gibson was charged with cruelty to animals, taken into custody, and later released on a $20,000 bond.—
Amber Corrine,
VIBE.com,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Raising it above heart level could quicken distribution of the venom to other parts of the body.—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Krishna discovers that Kaliya is living beneath the surface of a local pond and poisoning its waters with his venom.—
Seamus Sullivan
September 29,
Literary Hub,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Her name is Christa Gail Pike, who was convicted of killing 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer three decades ago in a case that made national headlines at the time for its brutality.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
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Safdie’s presentation of these comments foregrounds Mark’s understanding of what’s profound, and profoundly disturbing, about mixed martial arts, and perhaps all martial arts—the channelling and professionalizing of brutality.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Raised under Augusta’s religious terror and hatred for women, Ed tries to hide his penchant for ladies’ underwear and masturbation to no avail.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Not as a land of fear, not as a divisiveness, not of government censorship, not of hatred.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Viciousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/viciousness. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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