malicious

[muh-lish-uhs]

adjective

1. full of, characterized by, or showing malice; intentionally harmful; spiteful.

   malicious gossip.

2. Law.,  vicious, wanton, or mischievous in motivation or purpose.

malicious

/ məˈlɪʃəs /

adjective

1. characterized by malice

2. motivated by wrongful, vicious, or mischievous purposes

Other Word Forms

• maliciously adverb
• maliciousness noun
• nonmalicious adjective
• nonmaliciously adverb
• semimalicious adjective
• semimaliciously adverb
• unmalicious adjective
• unmaliciously adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of malicious¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English malicius, from Old French, from Latin malitiōsus; malice, -ous

Example Sentences

With each passing episode, it grows clearer that their profession was chosen to lend a touch of realism to the rancidly malicious, aggressively dimwitted dialogue screamed across long tables.

Read more on Salon

The department says all members of the team working on One Login use "corporately managed" devices which are monitored by a security team to detect any malicious activity.

Read more on BBC

Tom Hayes launched a legal claim for malicious prosecution against the Swiss banking giant, claiming he was the bank's "hand-picked scapegoat" in one of the biggest scandals of the 2008 financial crisis.

Read more on BBC

“Apartheid” is an empty, malicious slogan, not a reality in Israel.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

What if it navigated to a malicious website while I wasn’t looking?

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• malevolent 
• malignant 
• mischievous 
• nasty 
• pernicious 
• petty 
• spiteful 
• vengeful 
• venomous 
• vicious 
• virulent 
• wicked