as in malicious
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it
both parties to the divorce showed a malign desire to make each other's future life utterly miserable
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to libel
to make untrue and harmful statements about
a candidate who believes that it is possible to win an election without maligning anyone
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of malign
Nate Jones, Vulture, 18 July 2025
Meanwhile the promise of this huge improvement in battery performance could have a malign influence on today’s EV sales, as potential buyers delay, fearing being stranded with obsolete technology.
—Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
Galip Dalay, Time, 19 Aug. 2025
Some health leaders who criticized the legislation say the statements inaccurately maligned Medicaid enrollees, who by law cannot hold high-paying jobs and remain in the program.
—Stephanie Armour, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for malign
Adjective
As events in Eddington rise to national prominence, Aster cuts to a private jet full of antifa goons — the infamous outside agitators — being flown into the town by some malign puppet master.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 18 July 2025
Meanwhile the promise of this huge improvement in battery performance could have a malign influence on today’s EV sales, as potential buyers delay, fearing being stranded with obsolete technology.
—Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
Verb
Advertisement In May, the European Union adopted a new Black Sea Strategy, which comes down to establishing a Black Sea Maritime Security Hub tasked with monitoring and providing early warning of emerging threats and malign activities.
—Galip Dalay, Time, 19 Aug. 2025
Some health leaders who criticized the legislation say the statements inaccurately maligned Medicaid enrollees, who by law cannot hold high-paying jobs and remain in the program.
—Stephanie Armour, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for malign
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malign
Adjective
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The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
20 Sep. 2025
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If the vulnerability had been discovered by, or fallen into the hands of, malicious hackers, the fallout could have been devastating.—
Kevin Purdy,
ArsTechnica,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In 2022, Manhattan Federal Judge Jed Rakoff, who presided over both trials, decided The Times was not liable for defamation while jurors were deliberating, that the error amounted to unfortunate editorializing but not libel.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
22 Apr. 2025
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As a new, inexpensive Chevrolet appeared in 1927 and The Dearborn Independent was sued for libeling a number of Jewish businessmen, Ford threw in the towel and apologized.—
George Pendle,
airmail.news,
15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Sena was crying in pain, and so were her new owners, who even questioned whether keeping her alive was cruel.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
20 Sep. 2025
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Directed by Oliver Laxe, who’s been making waves at Cannes for years, the movie is funny and warm in parts, cruel and cold in others.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Mash it up, smear it on toast, toss it in a salad, or eat it straight.—
Claire Bugos,
Verywell Health,
17 Sep. 2025
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Good luck trying not to smear and stain your clothes, sheets, and furniture.—
Megan McIntyre,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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As and when evidence against that narrative comes out, either via six monthly reports or from some other source, the crash in the stock price will be more vicious than otherwise.—
Shivaram Rajgopal,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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In these homes, the conflict between budgeting and feeding kids well creates huge psychological stress for parents, which can lead to anxiety and depression, fueling the vicious cycle of stress and unhealthy eating, Beresin said.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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According to Han, the dichotomy between the brothers’ maturity wasn’t meant to vilify Jeremiah but is actually a realistic depiction of how young men mature.—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
18 Sep. 2025
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Democrats who are the least racially resentful are the most likely to vilify and dehumanize Republicans.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Some viewed what Kirk said as extreme, hateful, racist and sexist.—
Taylor Seely,
AZCentral.com,
20 Sep. 2025
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But this disgusting and hateful speech is still speech and is protected by our First Amendment.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
18 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Malign.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malign. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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