vicious

[vish-uhs]

adjective

1. spiteful; malicious.

   vicious gossip;

   a vicious attack.

   Synonyms: malevolent

2. savage; ferocious.

   They all feared his vicious temper.

3. (of an animal) having bad habits or a cruel or fierce disposition.

   a vicious bull.

4. unpleasantly severe.

   a vicious headache.

5. addicted to or characterized by vice; grossly immoral; depraved; profligate.

   a vicious life.

   Synonyms: sinful, iniquitous, corrupt, abandoned
   Antonyms: moral

6. given or readily disposed to evil.

   a vicious criminal.

7. reprehensible; blameworthy; wrong.

   a vicious deception.

8. characterized or marred by faults or defects; faulty; unsound.

   vicious reasoning.

9. Archaic.,  morbid, foul, or noxious.

vicious

/ ˈvɪʃəs /

adjective

1. wicked or cruel; villainous

   a vicious thug

2. characterized by violence or ferocity

   a vicious blow

3. informal,  unpleasantly severe; harsh

   a vicious wind

4. characterized by malice

   vicious lies

5. (esp of dogs, horses, etc) ferocious or hostile; dangerous

6. characterized by or leading to vice

7. invalidated by defects; unsound

   a vicious inference

8. obsolete,  noxious or morbid

   a vicious exhalation

Other Word Forms

• viciously adverb
• viciousness noun
• unvicious adjective
• unviciously adverb
• unviciousness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of vicious¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English or directly from Anglo-French, from Latin vitiōsus, equivalent to viti(um) “fault, defect, vice” ( vice ¹ ) + -ōsus -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of vicious¹

C14: from Old French vicieus, from Latin vitiōsus full of faults, from vitium a defect

Example Sentences

"You didn't have to worry about him with anything, he wasn't vicious in any way, shape or form," he told the court, adding that Ms Hempstead occasionally fed Trigg food from her mouth.

From BBC

Many “Alien: Earth” viewers might claim to be shocked at her mutiny if we didn’t know how vicious 11-year-old girls can be when given the opportunity to preside over a social hive.

From Salon

"One's heart has to go out to the good people at Bodycare who are losing their jobs, the suppliers missing payments, and the landlords losing rent. That is the vicious circle of business failure."

From BBC

At the time of the incident, the Prison Officers Association said the staff sustained life-threatening injuries including burns, scalds and stab wounds in an "unprovoked" and "vicious" attack.

From BBC

Coran’s Rachel plays a clever tough guy who puts on a vicious façade to avoid an actual fight.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• atrocious 
• barbarous 
• cruel 
• dangerous 
• depraved 
• diabolical 
• ferocious 
• heinous 
• infamous 
• monstrous 
• nefarious 
• perverse 
• savage 
• vile 
• violent 
• wicked