malevolent

American  

[muh-lev-uh-luhnt] / məˈlɛv ə lənt /

adjective

1. wishing evil or harm to another or others; showing ill will; ill-disposed; malicious.

   His failures made him malevolent toward those who were successful.

2. evil; harmful; injurious.

   a malevolent inclination to destroy the happiness of others.

3. Astrology. evil or malign in influence.

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malevolent British  

/ məˈlɛvələnt /

adjective

1. wishing or appearing to wish evil to others; malicious

2. astrology having an evil influence

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Other Word Forms

• malevolence noun
• malevolently adverb
• unmalevolent adjective
• unmalevolently adverb

Etymology

Origin of malevolent

First recorded in 1500–10; from Latin malevolent-, stem of malevolēns “ill-disposed, spiteful,” from male- male- + volēns “wanting” (present participle of velle “to want, wish for, desire”; will ¹ )

Example Sentences

The malevolent attention paid to Black’s stilted pop song reached levels no internet phenomenon had ever encountered.

From Salon

“Because,” Toby began, tired of this weird kid and his malevolent presence.

From Literature

But he sure makes the strongest case for being the most malevolent, influential force there, a malignancy that poisons everything he touches.

From Los Angeles Times

They found that when a phishing pop-up had clear malevolent telltales, like misspellings, the phone and PC users tended to avoid it at similar rates.

From The Wall Street Journal

It’s like a malevolent Ouroboros, where we can’t tell which is the head and which the tail, or which end is swallowing the other.

From Salon

Related Words

• malicious
• malignant
• murderous
• sinister
• vengeful
• vicious
• wicked