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
  • People talking to an AI in an abusive and cruel way are more likely to be associated with trying to get the AI model to engage in dangerous requests, like trying to get around an AI’s safety guardrails, Campbell added.
    — Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 1 Nov. 2026
  • From the very start, the students assigned as guards went on cruel power trips and repeatedly humiliated — if not psychologically tortured — the inmates, to the point that some of the prisoners suffered nervous breakdowns.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of cruel
Adjective
  • Can someone manipulate them through prompt injection or malicious data into crossing those boundaries?
    — Alex Spokoiny, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Name the pattern Most bloviators aren't malicious, in my experience; it's just become their style.
    — Dorie Clark, Contributor, CNBC, 30 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
  • Get ready for slashers, haunted hotels, vengeful women, the curse of the undead and much more.
    — Rebekah Faubion, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of vengeful
Adjective
  • For the moment, Trump’s vicious bigotry has alienated most independent voters and even some Republicans.
    — David Yassky, New York Daily News, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Outside observers described his vicious consolidation of power as an attempt to compensate for his youth, his limited political experience, and his complete lack of a military background.
    — Jieun Baek, Foreign Affairs, 30 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
  • Violent mobs carrying Palestinian flags clashed with police, looted hundreds of stores, and flooded social media with over 1,300 hateful anti-Semitic posts.
    — Staff, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The Illinois High School Association is responding as an investigation continues into hateful comments against Evanston Township High School students who were part of marching band during a football game at the new Ryan Field last week.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of hateful
Adjective
  • Defeat effectiveness exceeded approximately 75 to 80 percent, while operator observations indicated the system was even more effective at preventing hostile UAS from successfully completing their missions.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Yet another challenge came from the local community, which has historically been hostile to new development.
    — Deborah Netburn, Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of hostile
Adjective
  • The former sheriff claimed Luna has presided over a deep decline in department morale and staffing while being too soft on drug users, the homeless and petty criminals.
    — Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Takeshi’s father is a petty and proud man, in ways continually expanded upon throughout the film’s runtime, though how he’s actually framed never truly changes.
    — Kambole Campbell, Variety, 3 Nov. 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 5 Nov. 2026.

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