If you describe someone's words or actions as malicious, you mean that they are intended to harm people or their reputation, or cause them embarrassment and upset.
That might merely have been malicious gossip.
She described the charges as malicious.
Synonyms: spiteful, malevolent, malignant, vicious More Synonyms of malicious
maliciouslyadverb [usually ADVERB with verb, oft ADVERB adjective]
'Oh, I stopped in at the club for a drink,' she said maliciously.
...his maliciously accurate imitation of Hubert de Burgh.
malicious in British English
(məˈlɪʃəs)
adjective
1.
characterized by malice
2.
motivated by wrongful, vicious, or mischievous purposes
Derived forms
maliciously (maˈliciously)
adverb
maliciousness (maˈliciousness)
noun
malicious in American English
(məˈlɪʃəs)
adjective
having, showing, or caused by malice; spiteful; intentionally mischievous or harmful
Derived forms
maliciously (maˈliciously)
adverb
maliciousness (maˈliciousness)
noun
Word origin
ME < OFr malicios < L malitiosus < malitia: see malice
Examples of 'malicious' in a sentence
malicious
High tackles didn't drip into the culture of the game through malicious intent to hurt opponents.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This may be true or a malicious rumour.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
But not before the game because that is malicious and vicious.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
They seemed to have not malicious but mischievous intent.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
We also want to put a stop to malicious and unfounded allegations.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Yet she triumphed over all the setbacks and malicious gossip.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
We have had to change our phone number three times because we were getting malicious calls.
The Sun (2006)
There was no malicious intent at all.
The Sun (2008)
These are both common ways that people infect their computers with malicious software.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The notion that internal pressure was applied is a malicious rumour.
The Sun (2012)
How on earth had this bit of malicious gossip reached the post?
Edward Beauclerk Maurice THE LAST OF THE GENTLEMEN ADVENTURERS: Coming of Age in the Arctic (2004)
They will quiz him about wasting police time and malicious calls.
The Sun (2014)
The referee said there was no malicious intent.
The Sun (2009)
The difficulty is that while the rumours are malicious they are not entirely without foundation.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Not all were given as fouls and to my mind none was made with malicious intent.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
They spread malicious gossip about you.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
It was very vicious, very malicious.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
That it's mischievous, not malicious.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Ministry of Justice figures put the incidence of malicious allegations at 3 per cent of claims.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
malicious
British English: malicious /məˈlɪʃəs/ ADJECTIVE
Malicious talk or behaviour is intended to harm people or their reputation, or to embarrass or upset them.
...malicious gossip.
American English: malicious
Arabic: خَبِيث
Brazilian Portuguese: malicioso
Chinese: 恶毒的
Croatian: zlonamjeran
Czech: zlomyslný
Danish: ondsindet
Dutch: kwaadwillig
European Spanish: malicioso
Finnish: ilkeä
French: méchant
German: böswillig
Greek: κακόβουλος
Italian: malvagio
Japanese: 悪意のある
Korean: 악의 있는
Norwegian: ondskapsfull
Polish: złośliwy
European Portuguese: malicioso
Romanian: răutăcios
Russian: злоумышленный
Latin American Spanish: malicioso
Swedish: illvillig
Thai: มุ่งร้าย
Turkish: kötü niyetli
Ukrainian: злий
Vietnamese: hiểm
Definition of 'malicious'
Chinese translation of 'malicious'
malicious
(məˈlɪʃəs)
adj
[person, gossip]恶(惡)意的 (èyì de)
(adjective)
She described the charges as malicious.
Synonyms
spiteful
He could be spiteful.
malevolent
Her stare was malevolent, her mouth a thin line.
malignant
a malignant minority indulging in crime and violence
vicious
a vicious attack on a woman's character
bitter
He is said to be very bitter about the way he was sacked.
resentful
pernicious (formal)
the pernicious effects of alcoholism
vengeful
bitchy (informal)
They say bitchy things about each other.
hateful
They are not necessarily hateful, malicious people.
baleful
He had a baleful look.
injurious
rancorous
a series of rancorous disputes
catty (informal)
a mercilessly catty fashion blog
shrewish
ill-disposed
evil-minded
ill-natured
Opposites
kind
,
friendly
,
benevolent
,
amiable
,
warm-hearted
Additional synonyms
in the sense of baleful
Definition
harmful, menacing, or vindictive
He had a baleful look.
Synonyms
menacing,
threatening,
dangerous,
frightening,
evil,
deadly,
forbidding,
intimidating,
harmful,
sinister,
ominous,
malignant,
hurtful,
vindictive,
pernicious (formal),
malevolent,
noxious,
venomous,
ruinous,
intimidatory,
minatory,
maleficent,
bodeful,
louring or lowering,
minacious
in the sense of bitchy
Definition
spiteful or malicious
They say bitchy things about each other.
Synonyms
spiteful,
mean,
nasty,
cruel,
vicious,
malicious,
barbed,
vindictive,
malevolent,
venomous,
snide,
rancorous,
catty (informal),
backbiting,
shrewish,
ill-natured,
vixenish,
snarky (informal)
in the sense of bitter
Definition
showing or caused by hostility or resentment
He is said to be very bitter about the way he was sacked.
Synonyms
resentful,
hurt,
wounded,
angry,
offended,
sour,
put out,
sore,
choked,
crabbed,
acrimonious,
aggrieved,
sullen,
miffed (informal),
embittered,
begrudging,
peeved (informal),
piqued,
rancorous
Synonyms of 'malicious'
malicious
Explore 'malicious' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of catty
Definition
spiteful
a mercilessly catty fashion blog
Synonyms
spiteful,
mean (informal),
malicious,
malevolent,
venomous,
bitchy (informal),
snide,
rancorous,
backbiting,
shrewish,
ill-natured,
snarky (informal)
in the sense of evil-minded
Synonyms
nasty,
filthy,
poisonous,
malicious,
lewd,
depraved,
spiteful,
venomous,
foul-mouthed,
bitchy (informal),
salacious,
snide,
dirty-minded,
gossip-mongering
in the sense of hateful
They are not necessarily hateful, malicious people.
Synonyms
malicious,
malevolent,
spiteful,
hating,
vicious,
bitchy (informal),
catty (informal),
ill-disposed,
evil-minded,
ill-natured
in the sense of malevolent
Definition
wishing evil to others
Her stare was malevolent, her mouth a thin line.
Synonyms
spiteful,
hostile,
vicious,
malicious,
malign,
malignant,
vindictive,
pernicious (formal),
vengeful,
hateful,
baleful,
rancorous,
evil-minded,
maleficent,
ill-natured
in the sense of malignant
Definition
tending to cause great harm
a malignant minority indulging in crime and violence