adjective
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characterized by malice
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motivated by wrongful, vicious, or mischievous purposes
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of malicious
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English malicius, from Old French, from Latin malitiōsus; see malice, -ous
Explanation
Someone who is malicious enjoys hurting or embarrassing others. If you're writing a book about good and evil, you'll want to come up with a truly malicious character to do all the bad stuff. Malicious is the adjective based on the noun malice, which means the desire to harm others. Both words come from the Latin word malus, for bad. If someone is malicious he doesn't just make bad things happen; he loves to make bad things happen.
Vocabulary lists containing malicious
The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 2
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Fake It 'Til You Make It: Synonyms for "False"
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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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.
Salieri is malicious and conniving, which Bettany disconcertingly says was very easy to embody.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026
Earlier in the trial, lawyers for MacInnes said Wilson's claims were "malicious concoctions" and that Wilson was using the incident as "leverage" during contract negotiations by the film's producers for more money.
From BBC • May 8, 2026
Mr. Mamdani provoked it by using a malicious, personal attack to promote his pied-à-terre tax.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026
I guess if I walk through the various checks available—One: criminal charges for malicious prosecution and other kinds of things.
From Slate • May 4, 2026
“And, sir, I’ll need this shrivelfig skinned,” said Malfoy, his voice full of malicious laughter.
From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling
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.
