malevolence
Americannoun
Related Words
Malevolence, malignity, rancor suggest the wishing of harm to others. Malevolence is a smoldering ill will: a vindictive malevolence in her expression. Malignity is a deep-seated and virulent disposition to injure; it is more dangerous than malevolence, because it is not only more completely concealed but it often instigates harmful acts: The malignity of his nature was shocking. Rancor is a lasting, corrosive, and implacable hatred and resentment.
Etymology
Origin of malevolence
First recorded in 1425–75; from Latin malevolentia, from malevolent- (stem of malevolēns malevolent ) + -ia -y; replacing late Middle English malivolence, from Middle French, from Latin, as above
Explanation
Malevolence is a nasty, wicked, evil quality. When you're full of malevolence, you wish harm on others. Translated from the Latin, malevolence means to wish for bad things — to have ill will. What sets malevolence apart from other kinds of hatefulness is that it implies a deliberate wish for evil. A small child might be mean out of anger or spite, but probably not out of malevolence. Malevolence requires more thought: it's a deeper, more profound kind of badness often associated with devils and villains.
Vocabulary lists containing malevolence
The Tragedy of Macbeth
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"The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe
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And Then There Were None
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He concedes, quite ruefully, that in his coverage of war-torn Syria he utterly misread the malevolence of Bashar al-Assad.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 24, 2025
"He has shown a high level of malevolence, manipulation, and I would go so far as to say evil."
From BBC • Dec. 12, 2025
Szaniawski, who acknowledges that the audience is meant to recognize Torrance is "completely insane," added that the film nevertheless shows that Jack's malevolence is also rooted in commonplace misogyny.
From Salon • Oct. 7, 2024
Sheen shows the prince as out of his depth in front of such malevolence.
From BBC • Sep. 18, 2024
He understood Trademaster, and the deep malevolence that inhabited him.
From "Son" by Lois Lowry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
