malevolent

[muh-lev-uh-luh nt]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR malevolent ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

wishing evil or harm to another or others; showing ill will; ill-disposed; malicious: His failures made him malevolent toward those who were successful.

evil; harmful; injurious: a malevolent inclination to destroy the happiness of others.

Astrology. evil or malign in influence.

Nearby words

Origin of malevolent

1500–10; < Latin malevolent- (stem of malevolēns) ill-disposed, spiteful, equivalent to male- male- + volent- (stem of volēns), present participle of velle to want, wish for, desire (see will¹, -ent)

Related formsma·lev·o·lent·ly, adverbun·ma·lev·o·lent, adjectiveun·ma·lev·o·lent·ly, adverb

Can be confusedmaleficent malevolent

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for malevolent

We see it when any elite is able to get away with a malevolent act because elites protect each other.
The Real Legacy of Richard Nixon|Scott Porch|August 5, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But when the specious claims are directed at the parents of autistic children, the situation has gone from silly to malevolent.
FDA Moves to Crack Down on Quack Autism ‘Cures’|Russell Saunders|April 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Instead, it makes me appear capricious, malevolent and cruel.
Pediatrician: Don’t Make Me the Bad Guy By Teasing Your Kid About Shots|Russell Saunders|February 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The only malevolent presence in the house that night was a gang of snickering boys and one put-upon girlfriend.
A Night with The Conjuring’s Ed & Lorraine Warren|Stefan Beck|August 18, 2013|DAILY BEAST

As an African-American, I have experienced racism in all its malevolent forms.
Christopher Darden Believes There May Be Justice Yet for Trayvon|Christopher A. Darden, Michele Noble|July 15, 2013|DAILY BEAST
That he hath therefore at this nick of time so outraged and wronged me, it cannot be but by the malevolent and wicked spirit.
Gargantua and Pantagruel, Complete.|Francois Rabelais
This name is applied to a class of malevolent spirits who inhabit certain trees, cliffs and streams.
The Wild Tribes of Davao District, Mindanao|Fay-Cooper Cole
She had risen, and she towered there, a lean and malevolent figure, her head-dress nodding foolishly.
The Lion's Skin|Rafael Sabatini
Then the stranger turned and gave one sweep of his malevolent eye over the valley.
The Story of a Mine|Bret Harte
Addison had from the first seen that Pope was false and malevolent.
Critical and Historical Essays, Volume III (of 3)|Thomas Babington Macaulay

British Dictionary definitions for malevolent

malevolent

adjective

wishing or appearing to wish evil to others; malicious

astrology having an evil influence

Derived Formsmalevolence, nounmalevolently, adverb

Word Origin for malevolent

C16: from Latin malevolens, from male ill + volens, present participle of velle to wish

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for malevolent

malevolent

adj.

c.1500, from Middle French malivolent and directly from Latin malevolentem (nominative malevolens) "ill-disposed, spiteful, envious," from male "badly" (see mal-) + volentem (nominative volens), present participle of velle "to wish" (see will (v.)). Related: Malevolently.