as in malice
the desire to cause pain for the satisfaction of doing harm
only mindless malevolence would explain this cruel vandalism
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of malevolence
The London Cat, a great skinless feline who likes to turn people inside-out and embodies all the mischief and malevolence of cats).
—
Christian Holub, EW.com, 3 Jan. 2025
The message is the malevolence of AI for the most part.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 3 Jan. 2025
Nicolas Cage went for a high-concept ghoul in Longlegs; Hugh Grant reveled in professorial malevolence in Heretic; Naomi Scott unraveled in the face of grinning death in Smile 2.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2024
Eastwood’s story runs on the bedrock of the unimpeachable, confident that there is a definite truth to be discovered about an event such as the killing of Kendall and that only malevolence or incompetence could prevent its discovery.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for malevolence
Christian Holub, EW.com, 3 Jan. 2025
The message is the malevolence of AI for the most part.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 3 Jan. 2025
Nicolas Cage went for a high-concept ghoul in Longlegs; Hugh Grant reveled in professorial malevolence in Heretic; Naomi Scott unraveled in the face of grinning death in Smile 2.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Dec. 2024
Eastwood’s story runs on the bedrock of the unimpeachable, confident that there is a definite truth to be discovered about an event such as the killing of Kendall and that only malevolence or incompetence could prevent its discovery.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for malevolence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malevolence
Noun
-
There are plenty of GMs out there who try to emulate Lamoriello as far as trying to keep any news from leaking or keeping a close watch on what’s posted on social media, but the difference with Lou is that his rules are not enforced with malice or high emotion.—
Arthur Staple,
The Athletic,
21 Feb. 2025
-
To a degree surprising for those who think of the Trump administration as a mere composite of malice, nihilism, and chaos, its Ukraine policy seems orchestrated, with three big pieces dropping yesterday alone.—
Eliot A. Cohen,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Common triggers include certain foods, some medications, insect venom and latex.—
Maureen Mackey,
Fox News,
2 Mar. 2025
-
The first is that his barbed interventions could signal the full-scale arrival in Europe of the kind of online venom, misinformation, and conspiracy theories – and the angry polarization – that have poisoned American politics.—
Ned Temko,
The Christian Science Monitor,
30 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Democrats, blinded by their hatred of him, have ignored this.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
3 Mar. 2025
-
Debra Messing, who has produced a new documentary on (horseshoe-theory) antisemitism called October 8, has been one of Hollywood’s few intensely admirable exceptions, calling out anti-Jewish hatred with a fierce constancy over the past 16 months.—
Steven Zeitchik,
The Hollywood Reporter,
1 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Matthew has been charged with first-degree murder, as well as related weapons possession and animal cruelty charges.—
Laura Barcella,
People.com,
7 Mar. 2025
-
The whole movie is about the ways that cruelty and injustice become codified.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Malevolence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malevolence. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share