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

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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.

Synonyms

• bad [slang]
• bitchy
• catty
• cruel
• despiteful
• hateful
• malevolent
• malign
• malignant
• mean
• nasty
• spiteful
• vicious
• virulent

Examples of malicious in a Sentence

… 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

While there have been no major reports of any malicious cyberactivity affecting election offices, foreign actors have been active in using fake social media profiles and websites to drum up partisan vitriol and disinformation. —Chris Morris, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024

Clicking the links could add malicious software to your device and allow the scammer to track your online activity. —Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Indianapolis Star, 3 Nov. 2024

In May, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee warned the 2024 election likely will be the most attacked by malicious foreign forces in American history. —Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 2 Nov. 2024

Some can automatically block malicious websites, ransomware, adware, and phishing attempts and even scan devices on your network to flag potential security issues. —Simon Hill, WIRED, 2 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

see malice

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing malicious

• malicious mischief

Kids Definition

malicious

adjective

ma·​li·​cious mə-ˈlish-əs 

1

: doing mean things for pleasure

2

: done just to be mean

malicious gossip

maliciously adverb

maliciousness noun

Legal Definition

malicious

adjective

ma·​li·​cious mə-ˈli-shəs 

: given to, marked by, or arising from malice

malicious destruction of property

maliciously adverb

maliciousness noun