Malice is behaviour that is intended to harm people or their reputations, or cause them embarrassment and upset.
There was a strong current of malice in many of his portraits.
There was no malice on his part.
Synonyms: spite, animosity, enmity, hate More Synonyms of malice
malice in British English
(ˈmælɪs)
noun
1.
the desire to do harm or mischief
2.
evil intent
3. law
the state of mind with which an act is committed and from which the intent to do wrong may be inferred
Word origin
C13: via Old French from Latin malitia, from malus evil
malice in American English
(ˈmælɪs)
noun
1.
active ill will; desire to harm another or to do mischief; spite
2. Law
evil intent; state of mind shown by intention to do, or intentional doing of, something unlawful
Idioms:
malice aforethought
Word origin
OFr < L malitia < malus, bad: see mal-
Examples of 'malice' in a sentence
malice
But I bear him no malice.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But he said there was no malice and no intent to injure the Blues midfielder.
The Sun (2015)
I understand their viewpoint and bear no malice.
Christianity Today (2000)
I bear no malice towards your people.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
I bear no malice towards the man who shot me but now wish to move on with my life.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
His tenth attempt proved deadly, and the animal toppled from its perch 'There was no malice.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Quotations
Malice is of a low stature, but it hath very long armsGeorge Savile, Marquess of HalifaxPolitical, Moral, and Miscellaneous Thoughts
Malice is only another name for mediocrityPatrick Kavanagh
In other languages
malice
British English: malice NOUN
Malice is behavior that is intended to harm, embarrass, or upset people.
There was a strong current of malice in many of his portraits.
American English: malice
Brazilian Portuguese: malícia
Chinese: 恶行
European Spanish: maldad
French: malveillance
German: Bosheit
Italian: malevolenza
Japanese: 悪意
Korean: 악의
European Portuguese: malícia
Latin American Spanish: maldad
Definition of 'malice'
(noun)
Definition
the desire to do harm or cause mischief to others
There was no malice on his part.
Synonyms
spite
Never had she met such spite and pettiness.
animosity
There's a long history of animosity between the two nations.
enmity
The two countries erupted into open enmity during the Gulf war.
hate
eyes that held a look of hate
hatred
He has been accused of stirring up hatred between nations.
bitterness
I still feel bitterness and anger.
venom
There was no mistaking the venom in his voice.
spleen
There were other targets for his spleen.
rancour
`That's too bad,' he said without rancour.
bad blood
There is, it seems, some bad blood between them.
ill will
He didn't bear anyone any ill will.
animus
He displayed a thorough animus to the Western tradition.
malevolence
His actions betrayed a rare streak of malevolence.
vindictiveness
evil intent
malignity
spitefulness
vengefulness
maliciousness
Quotations
Malice is of a low stature, but it hath very long arms [George Savile, Marquess of Halifax – Political, Moral, and Miscellaneous Thoughts]Malice is only another name for mediocrity [Patrick Kavanagh]
Additional synonyms
in the sense of animosity
Definition
a powerful dislike or hostility
There's a long history of animosity between the two nations.
Synonyms
hostility,
hate,
hatred,
resentment,
bitterness,
malice,
antagonism,
antipathy,
enmity,
acrimony,
rancour,
bad blood,
ill will,
animus,
malevolence,
virulence,
malignity
in the sense of animus
Definition
intense dislike
He displayed a thorough animus to the Western tradition.
Synonyms
ill will,
hate,
hostility,
hatred,
resentment,
bitterness,
malice,
animosity,
antagonism,
antipathy,
enmity,
acrimony,
rancour,
bad blood,
malevolence,
virulence,
malignity
in the sense of bad blood
There is, it seems, some bad blood between them.
Synonyms
hostility,
anger,
offence,
resentment,
bitterness,
animosity,
antagonism,
enmity,
bad feeling,
rancour,
ill feeling,
hard feelings,
ill will,
animus,
dudgeon (archaic),
disgruntlement,
chip on your shoulder
Synonyms of 'malice'
malice
Explore 'malice' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bitterness
I still feel bitterness and anger.
Synonyms
resentment,
hurt,
anger,
hostility,
indignation,
animosity,
venom,
acrimony,
gall,
pique,
rancour,
ill feeling,
bad blood,
ill will,
umbrage,
vexation,
asperity
in the sense of enmity
Definition
a feeling of hostility or ill will
The two countries erupted into open enmity during the Gulf war.
Synonyms
hostility,
hate,
spite,
hatred,
bitterness,
friction,
malice,
animosity,
aversion,
venom,
antagonism,
antipathy,
acrimony,
rancour,
bad blood,
ill will,
animus,
malevolence,
malignity
in the sense of hate
Definition
intense dislike
eyes that held a look of hate
Synonyms
dislike,
hostility,
hatred,
loathing,
animosity,
aversion,
antagonism,
antipathy,
enmity,
abomination,
animus,
abhorrence,
odium (formal),
detestation,
H8,
execration
in the sense of hatred
Definition
intense dislike
He has been accused of stirring up hatred between nations.
Synonyms
hate,
dislike,
animosity,
aversion,
revulsion,
antagonism,
antipathy,
enmity,
abomination,
ill will,
animus,
repugnance,
odium (formal),
detestation,
execration
in the sense of ill will
Definition
unkind feeling
He didn't bear anyone any ill will.
Synonyms
hostility,
spite,
dislike,
hatred,
envy,
resentment,
grudge,
malice,
animosity,
aversion,
venom,
antagonism,
antipathy,
enmity,
acrimony,
rancour,
bad blood,
hard feelings,
animus,
malevolence,
unfriendliness
in the sense of malevolence
His actions betrayed a rare streak of malevolence.
Synonyms
malice,
hate,
spite,
hatred,
nastiness,
rancour,
ill will,
vindictiveness,
malignity,
spitefulness,
vengefulness,
maliciousness
in the sense of malignity
Definition
the condition of being malign or deadly
Synonyms
malice,
hate,
evil,
spite,
hostility,
hatred,
bitterness,
animosity,
venom,
wickedness,
rancour,
bad blood,
ill will,
animus,
viciousness,
malevolence,
vindictiveness,
vengefulness,
maliciousness
in the sense of rancour
Definition
deep bitter hate
`That's too bad,' he said without rancour.
Synonyms
hatred,
hate,
spite,
hostility,
resentment,
bitterness,
grudge,
malice,
animosity,
venom,
antipathy,
spleen,
enmity,
ill feeling,
bad blood,
ill will,
animus,
malevolence,
malignity,
chip on your shoulder (informal),
resentfulness
in the sense of spleen
Definition
spitefulness or bad temper
There were other targets for his spleen.
Synonyms
spite,
anger,
bitterness,
hostility,
hatred,
resentment,
wrath,
gall,
malice,
animosity,
venom,
bile,
bad temper,
acrimony,
pique,
rancour,
ill will,
animus,
malevolence,
vindictiveness,
malignity,
spitefulness,
ill humour,
peevishness
in the sense of venom
Definition
a feeling of great bitterness or anger towards someone