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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Recent Examples of malicious
Charged with securing everything from the electric grid to the banking system from malicious cyber attacks, CISA also often takes the lead in protecting U.S. elections.
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Simon Shuster, TIME, 2 Nov. 2024
Adrian Fontes, the secretary of state of Arizona, says that confidential reports from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence have convinced him that malicious foreign-influence operations are accelerating this year.
—Barton Gellman, TIME, 24 Oct. 2024
Preventing access to such pages, or to pages containing malicious code, can be the first line of defense for an antivirus tool.
—PCMAG, 22 Oct. 2024
The group sued New York City in 2003 for racial discrimination, emotional distress and malicious prosecution and settled the case in 2014 for $41 million.
—Jaden Amos, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for malicious 
Simon Shuster, TIME, 2 Nov. 2024
Adrian Fontes, the secretary of state of Arizona, says that confidential reports from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence have convinced him that malicious foreign-influence operations are accelerating this year.
—Barton Gellman, TIME, 24 Oct. 2024
Preventing access to such pages, or to pages containing malicious code, can be the first line of defense for an antivirus tool.
—PCMAG, 22 Oct. 2024
The group sued New York City in 2003 for racial discrimination, emotional distress and malicious prosecution and settled the case in 2014 for $41 million.
—Jaden Amos, Axios, 21 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for malicious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malicious
Adjective
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This vicious cycle squanders taxpayer dollars and enables politicians to reap gains without actually benefiting constituents.Ge Bai, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
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Lily Hay Newman a minute ago Outrage over the death of Peanut the squirrel is resulting in vicious hate speech, doxing, and threats of violence, including death threats, directed toward the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and its employees.WIRED, WIRED, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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This soaring exploration of generational trauma starts with Star, a survivor of the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre, who’s forced to speak English and practice Christianity by the man who goes on to found the notoriously cruel Carlisle Indian Industrial School.Lizz Schumer, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
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But at times, there’s a defensive, slightly cruel streak to his patter that can eclipse his better angels (of which there are many) and test the goodwill of those around him.Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The hateful rhetoric has been deployed all the way down the ballot, in Senate races, statehouse contests, and state constitutional amendment campaigns.Madison Pauly and Sarah Szilagy, Them, 5 Nov. 2024
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The worthwhile parts of Twitter (real-time news, sports, culture, silly memes, spontaneous encounters with celebrity accounts) have been drowned out by hateful garbage.Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Good post for a mid- to late-November afternoon: 70 to 100 yards back in timber and along the thickest, nastiest ditch that leads out to crops. 59) Don’t waste precious rut-hunting time.Michael Hanback, Outdoor Life, 7 Nov. 2024
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Reason for Ranking: Yet another solid (and prescient) premise that’s spoiled by a nasty streak and curious jokes about, uh, Abraham Lincoln hitting on Homer.Joshua Kurp, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The reveal — that a mad scientist is using a malevolent force to kill people and then bring them back to life — is something straight out of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2024
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What follows is a terrifying journey as the Lamberts, with the help of Elise and her crew, come up against malevolent spirits, uncover dark family secrets, and race against time to rescue Dalton.Kelsey Lentz, People.com, 20 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Share [Findings] Unaffiliated voters are growing more spiteful toward both Democrats and Republicans.Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
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But legitimate criticism has often been lost in spiteful lunacy.Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 10 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Nor for that matter is pathological liar, sociopath or malignant narcissist.Richard Behar, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
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These are traits typical of those people who qualify as malignant narcissists.Rafael Bernal, The Hill, 29 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near malicious
Cite this Entry
“Malicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malicious. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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