as in cruel
feeling or showing a desire to cause harm or pain
a mean-spirited person He wrote a mean-spirited book review.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of mean-spirited
While most are supportive, a fair number are critical, even mean-spirited.
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Barbara Vandenburgh, USA TODAY, 16 June 2023
Barbara Vandenburgh, USA TODAY, 16 June 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mean-spirited
Adjective
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Snape is the cruel but complex potions master at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, played by Alan Rickman in all seven Harry Potter films.Jason Fields, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
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In season 2, a cruel winter brings new challenges and unfinished business to the Dutton ranch.Christian Holub, EW.com, 5 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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That was confirmed by his patron in Moscow, which supported the regime in crushing what started as a peaceful protest movement during the Arab Spring and became a vicious civil war that killed hundreds of thousands and sparked a refugee crisis.Elizabeth Both, NBC News, 9 Dec. 2024
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Its main proxy, Hezbollah, was crippled by a pager attack on its hierarchy, and then by weeks of vicious airstrikes.Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The Center for Countering Digital Hate recently said that X failed to remove nearly 86% of 300 hateful posts a week after the organization reported them.Thomas Brewster, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
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Finally, there’s the late-to-the-party Johnny (Christopher Sears), a free-spirited recovering heroin addict who brings along his fellow 12-stepper Loren (Barbie Ferreira), the outsider and truth-teller whose appalled at the hateful religious vitriol spewed by Diana.Greg Evans, Deadline, 12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Wireless Humidifier Another Healthy Home Awards winner, this portable humidifier can sit on top of their desk or nightstand to hydrate dry skin (or help a cold feel a little less nasty).Jessica Kasparian, SELF, 10 Dec. 2024
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Treinen rewarded his manager’s faith in him by retiring the dangerous Giancarlo Stanton on a first-pitch fly out to right field and striking out Anthony Rizzo with a nasty 86-mph sweeper to end the inning.Mike DiGiovanna, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Moving forward, Heughan warns fans that Jamie’s response to Claire and Lord John’s activities in his absence will be surprising and unkind.Hunter Ingram, Variety, 7 Dec. 2024
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Most people don’t go to work with the intention of being unkind.Anna Shields, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Like, watched it all the way through from the shrill opening filled with obnoxious kids to the leadenly staged slapstick climax?Keith Phipps, Vulture, 5 Dec. 2024
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Although the court was an obnoxious shade of yellow to signify and celebrate the NBA Cup occasion, Denver was officially eliminated from the group stage of the in-season tournament by halftime, due to other results around the league.Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 3 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Biden has the historic opportunity to spare countless Americans from the fear of retaliation by a spiteful bully.Pierce O'Donnell, The Mercury News, 12 Dec. 2024
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Also, Philip Seymour Hoffman, whose memorably spiteful villain is an IMAX-sized testament to the late actor’s talent.David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 19 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Evie, who has recently married another woman, is contemptuous of a religion that doesn’t hold space for her identity.Alex Jhamb Burns, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2024
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Reporters circle, looking for a chance to embarrass the military for accepting Black women into its ranks, while male colleagues are openly disrespectful, with Gen. Halt (Dean Norris) setting a contemptuous example from the top.Peter Debruge, Variety, 6 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near mean-spirited
Cite this Entry
“Mean-spirited.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mean-spirited. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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