► mean not nice and making someone feel upset: There’s no reason to be mean. That was a mean trick.
► unkind unkind means the same thing as mean but it sounds more formal: It was unkind to tell her that she looked fat.
► cruel very mean and deliberately making someone suffer or feel unhappy: Girls can be very cruel to each other.
► thoughtless not thinking about the needs and feelings of other people: It’s your sister’s birthday, and you didn’t even call her? How can you be so thoughtless!
► nasty mean, often deliberately and for no reason: Their neighbors were really nasty.
► hurtful mean, and said or done especially because you feel something is unfair, you are jealous, etc.: He said some hurtful things that he later regretted.
► spiteful mean, and done or said deliberately because you are angry or jealous: Jen’s remark upset Chris, so he said some spiteful things to her.
► abusive using cruel words or physical violence: Hannah had an abusive father.
► vicious extremely cruel and deliberately trying to upset someone: There is a vicious rumor going around that she is pregnant, but she’s not.
► malicious formal showing a desire to harm, upset, or cause problems for someone. Used especially about things people say or write: The girls started spreading malicious gossip as a way of getting back at her.
► vindictive mean and unfair especially because you want to harm someone who has harmed you: She became bitter and vindictive after her husband left her, and she refused to let him see the children.