as in malicious
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it
a malignant wish to lash out at everyone who was smarter, richer, or better-looking than he was
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Recent Examples of malignant
Giant cell tumors are typically non-cancerous, with only 4% of the tumors becoming malignant cancers, according to Cleveland Clinic.
—
Staff Author, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
In the latest check-up following the surgery, Netanyahu revealed in a statement on social media that doctors discovered a malignant tumor in his prostate of less than a centimeter.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
Friends of Jaclyn was inspired by Murphy’s daughter, a nine-year-old lacrosse player in New York who was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 2004.
—Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Human disease may be acute, chronic, malignant, or benign, and it is usually indicated by signs and symptoms such as fever or vomiting.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for malignant
Staff Author, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
In the latest check-up following the surgery, Netanyahu revealed in a statement on social media that doctors discovered a malignant tumor in his prostate of less than a centimeter.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
Friends of Jaclyn was inspired by Murphy’s daughter, a nine-year-old lacrosse player in New York who was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 2004.
—Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
Human disease may be acute, chronic, malignant, or benign, and it is usually indicated by signs and symptoms such as fever or vomiting.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for malignant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malignant
Adjective
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The malicious Iranian regime is our national enemy.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
-
Under President John Adams, the Federalists sought to eradicate French ideological influence by raising the bar to citizenship, lowering the bar to deportation, and criminalizing malicious criticism of the federal government.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Adjective
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The betrayal of Zambada sparked a vicious battle for control of the Sinaloa cartel that has resulted in thousands of deaths.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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Back in 2023, he was suspended during the playoffs for a vicious cross-check to the head of Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Even his students can be casually cruel to each other, emulating a president that Artie almost cannot fathom.—
John Warner,
Chicago Tribune,
2 May 2026
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Baseball is a sport built on failure surrounded by a cruel, cynical business, but this level of irony is almost too rich to digest.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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But don’t forget, coming with that agenda were the most wild and hateful type of movements … the Ku Klux Klan.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
1 May 2026
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An investigation is underway into hateful graffiti in a Long Island neighborhood.—
Jenna DeAngelis,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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During the Braves’ recent trip to Philadelphia, Kyle Farmer came down with a nasty illness possibly brought on by norovirus.—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
1 May 2026
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Mfume has not joined in the negative attack game, but Conway, like other failing candidates, has decided his only political pathway is simply to run a nasty and divisive campaign.—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Malignant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malignant. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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