malicious

malicious: malicious, malevolent, malignant, malign, spiteful arecomparable when they mean disposed to do or to inflict evil or resulting from a disposition to do or to inflict evil.

A person or thing is malicious that is motivated or dictated by hatred or spite and, usually, by a desire to inflict injury and suffering or to see another in disgrace or an object of ridicule or contempt

{
episodes . . . when they create a scandal, they are hushed as much as possible, so as not to offend chaste ears and rejoice malicious ones— Guérard
}

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criticism based on guesswork and even on malicious falsification of fact— Roosevelt
}

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took a malicious pleasure in emphasizing this point and in watching me wince— Kipling
}

A person or thing is malevolent that evidences ill will or an intent to do evil, or a sinister influence

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Captain Tilney must have heard some malevolent misrepresentation of her— Austen
}

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there is no free breath to be drawn within the sphere of so malevolent an influence— Hawthorne
}

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the medicine man . . . can be malevolent as well as benevolent. If he desires the death of enemies he calls his spirits and bids them to harm the object of his hatred— Corlett
}

A person or thing is malignant that is actuated or characterized by virulent ill will or extreme malevolence

{
tested in the crucible of a malignant marriage— Hewes
}

{
a great temptation to . . . insist that the lack of relation between what happens and what is supposed to happen is due to some spell or enchantment laid by a malignant magician— Muggeridge
}

{
his cold, malignant rage— L. P. Smith
}

A person or thing is malign (see also SINISTER) that harbors violent enmity or ill will or threatens extreme evil or danger; the term, in contrast with malignant, carries a stronger implication of potentiality and therefore need not suggest certainty of effect

{
a soul that spurns the crowd's malign control— Gifford
}

{
by fiends of aspect more malign— Wordsworth
}

Spiteful implies a deep-seated malice or malevolence provoked especially by a desire to get even with others for real or fancied offenses; it suggests meanness or venomousness of temper and refers more often to utterances than to acts

{
spiteful gossip
}

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she has a spiteful tongue
}

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a spiteful saying gratifies so many little passions— Addison
}

{
"Well," said Mr. Potter, who was not spiteful to his children, and preferred his wife unruffled, "We'll let you off this time"— Rose Macaulay
}

Analogous words: *poisonous, venomous, virulent, toxic: *pernicious, noxious, baneful, deleterious, detrimental: *envious, jealous: wanton, gratuitous, uncalled-for, *supererogatory

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Synonyms:

Malevolent, malignant, spiteful, ill-disposed, ill-natured, evil-minded, mischievous, resentful, bitter, rancorous, envious, invidious

Look at other dictionaries:

malicious — ma‧li‧cious [məˈlɪʆəs] adjective LAW deliberate and intended to harm or hurt someone: • Time Warner sued the company for $100 million, charging willful, wanton and malicious breach of contract. • You may not be insured for malicious damage by a… … Financial and business terms
Malicious — may refer to: Contents 1 Films 2 Games 3 Thoroughbred race horses … Wikipedia
malicious — ma·li·cious /mə li shəs/ adj: given to, marked by, or arising from malice malicious destruction of property ma·li·cious·ly adv ma·li·cious·ness n Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 … Law dictionary
Malicious — Ma*li cious, a. [Of. malicius, F. malicieux, fr. L. malitiosus. See {Malice}.] 1. Indulging or exercising malice; harboring ill will or enmity. [1913 Webster] I grant him bloody, . . . Sudden, malicious, smacking of every sin That has a name.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
malicious — malicious, malign, malignant, malevolent 1. All four words are connected with doing harm or evil (from Latin malus), but there are important differences. Malicious means ‘intending to do harm’ and is associated with people (or occasionally… … Modern English usage
malicious — (adj.) early 13c., from O.Fr. malicios showing ill will, spiteful, wicked (Mod.Fr. malicieux), from L. malitiosus wicked, malicious, from malitia badness, ill will, spite, from malus bad (see MAL (Cf. mal )). In legal use (early 14c., Anglo… … Etymology dictionary
malicious — [adj] hateful awful, bad natured, baleful, beastly, bitter, catty*, cussed, deleterious, despiteful, detrimental, envious, evil, evil minded, green*, green eyed*, gross*, illdisposed, injurious, jealous, low, malevolent, malign, malignant, mean,… … New thesaurus
malicious — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ characterized by malice; intending or intended to do harm. DERIVATIVES maliciously adverb maliciousness noun … English terms dictionary
malicious — [mə lish′əs] adj. [ME < OFr malicios < L malitiosus < malitia: see MALICE] having, showing, or caused by malice; spiteful; intentionally mischievous or harmful maliciously adv. maliciousness n … English World dictionary
malicious — /mslishas/ Characterized by, or involving, malice; having, or done with, wicked, evil or mischievous intentions or motives; wrongful and done intentionally without just cause or excuse or as a result of ill will. See also malice willful @… … Black's law dictionary

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malicious

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