malicious

adjective

ma·li·cious mə-ˈli-shəs How to pronounce malicious (audio)

: having or showing a desire to cause harm to someone : given to, marked by, or arising from malice

malicious gossip

maliciously adverb

maliciousness noun

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Malicious, Malevolent, and Malice

Malicious and malevolent are close in meaning, since both refer to ill will that desires to see someone else suffer. But while malevolent suggests deep and lasting dislike, malicious usually means petty and spiteful. Malicious gossipers are often simply envious of a neighbor's good fortune. Vandals may take malicious pleasure in destroying and defacing property but usually don't truly hate the owners. Malice is an important legal concept, which has to be proved in order to convict someone of certain crimes such as first-degree murder.

Example Sentences

… she is an inspired hater, and thrills to malicious descriptions of long-forgotten, nameless individuals whose bad luck it was to live near her, or to have met her socially.

Joyce Carol Oates, New York Times Book Review, 5 Nov. 2000 A cunning and malicious crook who suckered him without half trying.

Philip Roth, American Pastoral, 1997 Frank sensed her discomfort and took a certain malicious pleasure in it, enacting all the while his perfect innocence.

John Updike, The Afterlife, 1994 a malicious distortion of the truth the neighborhood chatterbox has again been spreading malicious gossip

Recent Examples on the Web Both malicious and benign apps use code libraries to interact with the OS kernel.

Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 30 Aug. 2022 LastPass said that a malicious or bad actor last year may have tried to access user accounts with information obtained from unaffiliated services that had been breached.

Alyssa Lukpat, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 The complaint accuses the defendants of malicious, wanton and deliberate indifference to Stephenson's conditions and history.

Bruce Vielmetti, Journal Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2022 Renaming schools named in honor of historical figures thought to be malicious or insufficiently moral has become a popular trend in the United States.

Fox News, 20 Aug. 2022 The image posted by me on a political Facebook page was not done with any malicious or harmful intent.

Chuck Johnston, CNN, 20 Aug. 2022 The image posted by me on a political Facebook page was not done with any malicious or harmful intent.

Howard Koplowitz | Hkoplowitz@al.com, al, 19 Aug. 2022 The image posted by me on a political Facebook page was not done with any malicious or harmful intent.

Marina Pitofsky, USA TODAY, 19 Aug. 2022 Cicada, a hacking group allegedly backed by the Chinese government, uses VLC Media Player to deploy malicious malware attacks.

Ananya Bhattacharya, Quartz, 17 Aug. 2022 See More

单词	malicious
释义	malicious adjective ma·li·cious mə-ˈli-shəs : having or showing a desire to cause harm to someone : given to, marked by, or arising from malice malicious gossip maliciously adverb maliciousness noun Did you know? Malicious, Malevolent, and Malice Malicious and malevolent are close in meaning, since both refer to ill will that desires to see someone else suffer. But while malevolent suggests deep and lasting dislike, malicious usually means petty and spiteful. Malicious gossipers are often simply envious of a neighbor's good fortune. Vandals may take malicious pleasure in destroying and defacing property but usually don't truly hate the owners. Malice is an important legal concept, which has to be proved in order to convict someone of certain crimes such as first-degree murder. Synonyms bad [slang] bitchy catty cruel despiteful hateful malevolent malign malignant mean nasty spiteful vicious virulent See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences … she is an inspired hater, and thrills to malicious descriptions of long-forgotten, nameless individuals whose bad luck it was to live near her, or to have met her socially. Joyce Carol Oates, New York Times Book Review, 5 Nov. 2000 A cunning and malicious crook who suckered him without half trying. Philip Roth, American Pastoral, 1997 Frank sensed her discomfort and took a certain malicious pleasure in it, enacting all the while his perfect innocence. John Updike, The Afterlife, 1994 a malicious distortion of the truth the neighborhood chatterbox has again been spreading malicious gossip Recent Examples on the Web Both malicious and benign apps use code libraries to interact with the OS kernel. Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 30 Aug. 2022 LastPass said that a malicious or bad actor last year may have tried to access user accounts with information obtained from unaffiliated services that had been breached. Alyssa Lukpat, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 The complaint accuses the defendants of malicious, wanton and deliberate indifference to Stephenson's conditions and history. Bruce Vielmetti, Journal Sentinel, 23 Aug. 2022 Renaming schools named in honor of historical figures thought to be malicious or insufficiently moral has become a popular trend in the United States. Fox News, 20 Aug. 2022 The image posted by me on a political Facebook page was not done with any malicious or harmful intent. Chuck Johnston, CNN, 20 Aug. 2022 The image posted by me on a political Facebook page was not done with any malicious or harmful intent. Howard Koplowitz \| Hkoplowitz@al.com, al, 19 Aug. 2022 The image posted by me on a political Facebook page was not done with any malicious or harmful intent. Marina Pitofsky, USA TODAY, 19 Aug. 2022 Cicada, a hacking group allegedly backed by the Chinese government, uses VLC Media Player to deploy malicious malware attacks. Ananya Bhattacharya, Quartz, 17 Aug. 2022 See More Word History Etymology see malice First Known Use 13th century, in the meaning defined above Phrases Containing malicious malicious mischief malicious mischief Kids Definition malicious adjective ma·li·cious mə-ˈli-shəs : feeling or showing a desire to cause harm to another person malicious gossip Legal Definition malicious adjective ma·li·cious mə-ˈli-shəs : given to, marked by, or arising from malice malicious destruction of property malicious adjective as in vicious having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it the neighborhood chatterbox has again been spreading malicious gossip Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance vicious cruel hateful malevolent nasty spiteful despiteful malignant malign virulent bad venomous bitchy poisonous evil catty jealous bitter vindictive obnoxious harsh mean hostile devious unkind vitriolic derogatory scoundrelly contemptuous snide opprobrious envious disparaging snakelike baneful scornful resentful snotty acrimonious disdainful deprecating unloving mean-spirited unkindly scurvy caustic rancorous baleful inimical jaundiced scathing acrid Antonyms & Near Antonyms benign benevolent loving sympathetic benignant kind good kindhearted compassionate friendly unmalicious warm amiable pleasant kindly sweet agreeable gracious affable genial amorous affectionate good-hearted nice cordial warmhearted noble altruistic tender humane philanthropic humanitarian magnanimous tenderhearted philanthropical high-minded See More
随便看	ciconine cicorees cicurate cicutae cicutas cid Cid, El cidares cidarid Cidaridae cidaris cidarises Cidaroida cider cider apple cider gum cider oil cider royal cider tree cider vinegar cider wine cideries ciderkin ciderkins ciderpresses

malicious

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing malicious

Kids Definition

adjective

Legal Definition

adjective

adjective