VICIOUSNESS Synonyms: 133 Similar and Opposite Words

viciousness

noun

Definition of viciousness

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in cruelty

disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others the unspeakable viciousness of some dictators in the past

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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 viciousness The viciousness of Manson’s crimes left a lasting mark on American culture and Manson himself achieved a perverse popularity — which has not dissipated in the years since his death. — Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026 The jury further determined that the crimes involved a threat of great bodily harm and demonstrated a high degree of cruelty, viciousness or callousness, the district attorney's office said. — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 18 June 2026 The expediency of their exchanges (back and forth over a couple of weeks) electrified the planet, especially the mounting viciousness of Lamar’s attack (ad hominem all the way). — New York Times, 28 Apr. 2026 The horror has come now like a storm— what if this night prefigured the night after death— what if all thereafter was an eternal quivering on the edge of an abyss, with everything base and vicious in oneself urging one forward and the baseness and viciousness of the world just ahead. — Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026 But this candid and absorbing memoir is also a stark reminder of the corruptions of power, the uncertainties of revolution and the frequent viciousness of human nature. — Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026 Down 14 points with 30 seconds left, the viciousness of the hit seemed more about injuring than winning a game that was already settled. — Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 7 Jan. 2026 The casual viciousness of children is the centerpiece of the film, which has triggered audiences who grew up in the same era as Polinger. — William Earl, Variety, 23 Dec. 2025 Hinkey finds both viciousness and vulnerability within Red Feather, crafting, through his fierce physicality and long, unblinking gazes, a man aware of the world steadily leaving him behind. — Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 1 Dec. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for viciousness

Noun

Good intentions can become intentional malice when policymakers ignore clear warnings and leave taxpayers stuck with the bill.

— Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 19 Aug. 2026
Takamura tasks Musashi with eliminating the malice that has spread around the city.

— Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of malice

Noun

In late 2024, Spitze pleaded guilty to several charges related to child pornography and animal cruelty, and had been awaiting sentencing since then.

— Mike Levine, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
Brown is charged with two counts of kidnapping and two counts of first-degree cruelty to children.

— Christopher Harris, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of cruelty

Noun

Ultimately, the snakes posing the greatest danger are often not those with the strongest venom, but those most likely to encounter people far from adequate healthcare.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2026
The venom is mildly toxic to mammals such as mice, and it is reported to only cause inflammation and skin discoloration in humans.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of venom

Noun

The Beast in Me showrunner Howard Gordon knows there was one scene in the Netflix limited series that was divisive because of its brutality.

— Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2026
Today, such dreams might put a woman in jail or expose her to the casual brutality of the Taliban’s paternal order.

— Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of brutality

Noun

Christian leaders, along with the mayor of Dearborn and the chief of police, came together Monday afternoon to send out a message of unity against hatred.

— Heath Kalb, CBS News, 18 Aug. 2026
Ungodlike thoughts and their outcomes are not negated just by trying not to think about evil, mistakes, disease, hatred, lack, sorrow, etc.

— The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of hatred

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viciously

viciousness

vicissitude

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“Viciousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/viciousness. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of viciousness

noun

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