MALICIOUS Synonyms: 88 Similar and Opposite Words

malicious

adjective

mə-ˈli-shəs

Definition of malicious

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

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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 Companies should detect prompt injection, malicious or compromised tools, behavioral anomalies, data exfiltration and other threats. — Shashwat Sehgal, Forbes.com, 1 Oct. 2026 Coding a malicious program that steals private data while dodging detection by antivirus tools is hard. — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2026 Facilitators then break into the machine and install malicious software that can be remotely activated to bypass its security systems. — Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026 Eventually, the attackers began using their command injection capability to install malicious payloads. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 30 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for malicious

Recent Examples of Synonyms for malicious

Adjective

Experts are voicing concerns over the vicious cycle of rising debt and higher yields.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2026
Verity dwells almost entirely in the gulf between the front-facing celeb being interviewed by Alex Cooper and the vicious private thoughts of her confession.

— Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of vicious

Adjective

The policy of sending them to a third country has been condemned as harsh and cruel.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Eight men were killed via gassing until an Alabama district judge ruled the execution method unconstitutionally cruel, in June; the Supreme Court has maintained the block.

— Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of cruel

Adjective

The fanbase has been labeled as hateful by the media, opposing players and even A'ja Wilson's mom.

— Jon Root OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
The apology was met with a lukewarm reaction from a public that had watched the rapper’s troubling antics and hateful statements for years.

— Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of hateful

Adjective

The New York Yankees were still reeling from a nasty gut punch — a 1-0 loss to the rival Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the best-of-five American League Division Series at Tropicana Field on Saturday night.

— Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Frank Senior was a barber who dreamed of being a singer, a nasty cur who beat his two sons and verbally whittled them down to a nub.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of nasty

Adjective

An analysis of 1,000 tissue samples representing 11 major organs in just over 400 male donors has now delivered a clear map and expression profile of missing Y chromosomes in typical, pre-cancerous, and malignant tumors.

— Mike McRae September 20, New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2026
According to the National Cancer Institute, esophageal cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells form in the tissues of the esophagus.

— Angeline Jane Bernabe, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of malignant

Browse Nearby Words

malice

malicious

maliciously

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“Malicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malicious. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of malicious

adjective

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