as in cruel
likely to seek revenge
be careful not to annoy the vindictive old woman who lives down the street
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Recent Examples of vindictive
And vindictive organizations can and do continue retaliating, even years after a story has dropped off the front pages.
—
Kate Kenny, The Conversation, 29 Apr. 2025
That’s despite the fact that both Trump and the MAGA movement are characterized by a vindictive, nostalgic, unapologetic misogyny.
—Constance Grady, Vox, 25 Apr. 2025
Despite the news conference, top aides to Mr. Trump, including his chief of staff at the time, John F. Kelly, stepped in to block the move, telling Mr. Trump that despite what had been said publicly, the idea was vindictive and undemocratic.
—Michael S. Schmidt, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
In Vice Principals, that came in the form of Lee Russell, the effeminate, vindictive co-vice of a middle school who is best friend and arch nemesis to McBride’s Neal Gamby.
—Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vindictive
Kate Kenny, The Conversation, 29 Apr. 2025
That’s despite the fact that both Trump and the MAGA movement are characterized by a vindictive, nostalgic, unapologetic misogyny.
—Constance Grady, Vox, 25 Apr. 2025
Despite the news conference, top aides to Mr. Trump, including his chief of staff at the time, John F. Kelly, stepped in to block the move, telling Mr. Trump that despite what had been said publicly, the idea was vindictive and undemocratic.
—Michael S. Schmidt, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
In Vice Principals, that came in the form of Lee Russell, the effeminate, vindictive co-vice of a middle school who is best friend and arch nemesis to McBride’s Neal Gamby.
—Daniel Dockery, Vulture, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vindictive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vindictive
Adjective
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And for every San Antonio, there is a Utah or Washington or Charlotte that can’t believe how cruel the lottery can be.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
3 June 2025
-
This is cruel, unnecessary, and will further fan the flames of economic chaos for working families across this country.—
Adam S. Minsky,
Forbes.com,
3 June 2025
Adjective
-
This is the threat potential given commonalities despite seemingly different developers, and those links to malicious domains.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
-
Mandiant found ads for over 30 such malicious websites; most were posted on Facebook but a handful of them appeared on LinkedIn.—
Jibin Joseph,
PC Magazine,
3 June 2025
Adjective
-
Though mean-spirited, the jester Rigoletto — Verdi’s hapless, vengeful hunchback — wins our hearts as the outsider whom a heartless world so often abuses.—
Mark Swed,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2025
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Mason Dye’s vengeful jock Jason Carver was also killed—his body ripped apart by an interdimensional gate in the Creel House—as was Matthew Modine’s Dr. Martin Brenner, who was shot by a US army sniper.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
2 June 2025
Adjective
-
There are other objects of worship from the days when Japan’s Christians had to hide from vicious persecution, including a ceramic bottle of holy water from Nakaenoshima, an island where Hidden Christians were martyred in the 1620s.—
Foster Klug,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2025
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Years before the Kendrick Lamar and Drake imbroglio, Pusha T shared his own vicious diss track against the Canadian hip-hop superstar.—
Matthew Strauss,
Pitchfork,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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Fans hoping for a revengeful scoring outburst were left wanting a little more, however, as Dončić — a career 28.6 points per game scorer — added only 10 points over the final three quarters.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC News,
26 Feb. 2025
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Eventually, this revengeful streak will result in loneliness and isolation.—
Nicole Froio,
refinery29.com,
29 Oct. 2024
Adjective
-
Black said the synagogue has received hateful emails and phone calls.—
Rosario Del Valle,
Sun Sentinel,
3 June 2025
-
Day was facing an immense amount of hateful comments and calls for him to be fired.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
Adjective
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The crowd was right on top of you there, the students rimmed the court, the very definition of a hostile environment.—
Jim Calhoun with Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
8 June 2025
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That’s coupled with a more hostile political environment for diversity-forward businesses.—
Phoebe Liu,
Forbes.com,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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Which party is willing to set aside petty differences and ego, and work in the interests of American prosperity?—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
6 June 2025
-
This Christlike journey of scapegoating and torment ends in comeuppance for the haters and doubters, whose petty provocations tend to evoke a Bond villain in adolescence.—
Joshua Hunt,
Vulture,
5 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vindictive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vindictive. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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