vindictive

adjective

vin-ˈdik-tiv How to pronounce vindictive (audio)
Definition of vindictivenext
as in cruel
likely to seek revenge be careful not to annoy the vindictive old woman who lives down the street

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 vindictive Family blames cousin’s conviction on a vindictive ex, but the letter writer’s history with him suggests a different story. — Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 24 Aug. 2026 Instead, the former football receiver claimed that the suspension was the result of vindictive parents with complaints about their kids’ playing time. — Molly Hensley-Clancy, ProPublica, 20 Aug. 2026 The filing was one of several Tuesday in response to a filing by Comey's lawyers seeking to dismiss the indictment against him on the grounds of vindictive and selective prosecution. — Dan Mangan, CNBC, 19 Aug. 2026 Circe the feminist But this version of Circe – angry, vindictive and, yes, witchy – didn’t appear out of thin air. — Bailey Sincox, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for vindictive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vindictive
  1. cruel
  2. malicious
  3. vengeful
  4. vicious
  5. revengeful
  6. hateful
  7. hostile
  8. petty
Adjective
  • In response to legislation to end the cruelty once and for all, the Daily News once again trotted out its old and tired defense of this cruel, deadly and outdated industry.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Policing cringe is the cruelest métier of the internet—the origin of harassment campaigns and platforming of contempt.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of cruel
Adjective
  • Moreover, the perpetrators do not appear to have used malicious code on the fridge controllers, potentially complicating efforts to track down who carried out the cyberattack, added Aimé.
    — Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The best way to protect yourself from malicious links that install malware and potentially access your private information is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of malicious
Adjective
  • The drama, now streaming, traces her evolution from grieving mother to vengeful killer.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The story follows a celebrated pediatric heart surgeon whose daughter falls prey to a vengeful ghost.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of vengeful
Adjective
  • So too, the possibility of Rollerball-style carnage carnivals where robots compete in vicious cage matches until only one android is still moving.
    — Rick Burton, Sportico.com, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Cash reserves totaling $ 7,450,869 are being used to eviscerate his opponent with a vicious barrage of ad hominem assaults, thus giving him a 61 to 1 spending edge.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of vicious
Adjective
  • DeMar DeRozan had 32, Russell Westbrook had a revengeful 22 and Malik Monk had 26 off the bench.
    — Zach Harper, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
  • Brian Heil played Don Jose with angst and ultimately, revengeful rage as Carmen’s spurned lover.
    — Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Dec. 2025
Definition of revengeful
Adjective
  • Manchester police say over the weekend, vandals wreaked havoc leaving several hateful, antisemitic, racist and homophobic slurs on people's property.
    — Paul Burton, CBS News, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Ossoff went a step further, accusing Collins himself of amplifying hateful content and saying that his former congressional aide had intervened on behalf of a Holocaust denier.
    — AJC.com, AJC.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of hateful
Adjective
  • That night, Lee goes to Ginger’s house to tell her what happened — about his hostile showdown with the rupidoop, about Brawny Dude With the Butter Candies checking out Lee’s van in the Boontill parking lot.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The trip to Leeds is another daunting assignment for United in what is usually a hostile atmosphere.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of hostile
Adjective
  • The debut show from the pact, about the disappearance of Spanish petty criminal El Nani, remains in development, Corral confirmed.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Before the arrival of the Sisters of Mary Morning Star, the death row inmates had been plagued by petty infighting.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of petty

Browse Nearby Words

vindicators
vindictive
vindictively
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Cite this Entry

“Vindictive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vindictive. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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