malicious

adjective

mə-ˈli-shəs How to pronounce malicious (audio)
Definition of maliciousnext
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

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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 malicious Artificial intelligence disguises itself as human, attempts to dupe a web developer and mounts a malicious cyberattack -- all on its own. — Max Zahn, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026 When a user launches the annotation tool while sharing their screen, the bug allows attackers to remotely execute malicious code and access participants’ devices. — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 11 Aug. 2026 City officials said malicious software infected its IT systems Friday morning, affecting 911 routing, police and fire dispatch, records and other city services. — Steve Large, CBS News, 11 Aug. 2026 With the leading models becoming ever more powerful, their ability to act in malicious ways is turning into a major threat for corporations and governments, especially as the risk involves hacking into critical computer systems and infrastructure. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for malicious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malicious
  1. vicious
  2. cruel
  3. hateful
  4. nasty
  5. malevolent
  6. spiteful
  7. malignant
Adjective
  • And on the other side of the ball, this defense has a chance to be downright vicious.
    — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Heidegger, the philosopher of authenticity and independent thought, had become one of them, surrendering to vicious political cant.
    — David Denby, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of vicious
Adjective
  • Impermanence turns out to be the cruelest fact and the most merciful one at once.
    — Dr. Lucy McBride, Time, 8 Aug. 2026
  • His central characters can be nasty, disgusting, violent, hysterically cruel, and passionately consumed.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of cruel
Adjective
  • When Rodrigo, Perry, Grande, and Kahan made public comments, spokespeople for the White House used the opportunity to spread hateful rhetoric.
    — Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Without human oversight, AI can end up penalizing the very communities most vulnerable to the hateful content the systems are designed to combat.
    — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of hateful
Adjective
  • Her boyfriend is nasty Sebastiano’s older soldier son Michelangelo (Lorenzo Richelmy), a true chip off the old block.
    — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Beyond those obvious impediments, Elkins was coming off a nasty stoppage loss in his previous fight against Julian Erosa at UFC 314 in April 2025.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of nasty
Adjective
  • In other cases Hoodoo was used to counter the threat of curses, as in the practice of suspending bottles from a tree to trap any malevolent spirits or witches traveling in spirit form.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The Gwi Realm is a desolate, crimson wasteland littered with malevolent presence, so naturally there have been comparisons to that other little Netflix show called Stranger Things.
    — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of malevolent
Adjective
  • Trump won his spiteful cases against asylum seekers and Haitian and Syrian immigrants.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Everyone has an acid tongue and brims with spiteful resentment.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 27 May 2026
Definition of spiteful
Adjective
  • The finding raises the possibility that some patients given this diagnosis may not have a malignant disease and may not need long-term cancer treatment.
    — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Trump obsessed, and is likely still obsessing about a malignant Chinese origin for the coronavirus.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of malignant

Browse Nearby Words

malice
malicious
maliciously
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Malicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malicious. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of malicious for Spanish Speakers

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