as in malice
the desire to cause pain for the satisfaction of doing harm
one of the characters in the novel is a cruel oppressor of such malignity that he came to be one of the most famous villains in all of literature
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples of malignity in a Sentence
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of
Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback
about these examples.
Recent Examples on the Web
His Cyrano is the play’s hero, even if the character’s psychological limitations are as much a factor in the story as the machinations of De Guiche, whose malignity is sent up in Nathanson’s flamboyantly comic turn.
—
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2024
For a decade, the central drama of Trumpism has concerned the Republican élites who continued to support him—the story has been about their malignity, or opportunism, or willful moral blindness.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2023
Though Bilger does not quite say so, his grandfather emerges as a case study in the capacity for compartmentalization that is arguably more destructive of morality than outright malignity.
—Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 20 July 2023
In a landscape of such confused malignity as capital-p Publishing, who actually suffers from an act like June’s?
—Zoe Hu, Washington Post, 12 May 2023
American exceptionalism has two faces, equally transfixed with a sense of specialness—one radiant with the nation’s unique beneficence, the other sunk in its unrivaled malignity.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 21 Nov. 2022
Modernist malignity has long been a topic of discussion in architectural circles.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2022
Where Moyn is driven by a photonegative of American exceptionalism—a sense that American power is a singular force of malignity in the world—Arkin is concerned that this perpetual-war machine is at odds with America’s strategic interests.
—Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2021
Decades of miserable history had to pass before the comedy buried within their malignity was revealed, like a vein of ore uncovered by a natural catastrophe.
—Ian Frazier, The New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2019
Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2024
For a decade, the central drama of Trumpism has concerned the Republican élites who continued to support him—the story has been about their malignity, or opportunism, or willful moral blindness.
—Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 16 Sep. 2023
Though Bilger does not quite say so, his grandfather emerges as a case study in the capacity for compartmentalization that is arguably more destructive of morality than outright malignity.
—Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 20 July 2023
In a landscape of such confused malignity as capital-p Publishing, who actually suffers from an act like June’s?
—Zoe Hu, Washington Post, 12 May 2023
American exceptionalism has two faces, equally transfixed with a sense of specialness—one radiant with the nation’s unique beneficence, the other sunk in its unrivaled malignity.
—George Packer, The Atlantic, 21 Nov. 2022
Modernist malignity has long been a topic of discussion in architectural circles.
—Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2022
Where Moyn is driven by a photonegative of American exceptionalism—a sense that American power is a singular force of malignity in the world—Arkin is concerned that this perpetual-war machine is at odds with America’s strategic interests.
—Dexter Filkins, The New Yorker, 6 Sep. 2021
Decades of miserable history had to pass before the comedy buried within their malignity was revealed, like a vein of ore uncovered by a natural catastrophe.
—Ian Frazier, The New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malignity
Noun
-
In the weeks prior, the 31-year-old had become the subject of internet mockery and malice after a clip of him at bandmate Niall Horan’s concert went viral, and his ex-fiancée, Maya Henry, accused him of harassment and abuse in an October 6 TikTok video.Kate Lindsay, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024
-
Simon, 24, was indicted on 19 charges, including malice murder, two counts of felony murder, concealing the death of another, making a false report of a crime and 14 counts of making a false statement.Dakin Andone and Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN, 28 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
As Smithsonian reported, antivenom can be complicated to produce, as a donor animal must be injected with the venom — and then their antibodies harvested to make the treatment.Cara Lynn Shultz, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024
-
Its venom is about as deadly as that of a rattlesnake’s.Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
Noun
-
Unfortunately, Mama Elena, a woman driven by cruelty and customs, has other plans.Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 3 Nov. 2024
-
Regardless, the making of the monster lies not in the moment of senseless cruelty but in the selfish impulses most ardently encouraged and cultivated by an unforgiving world.Andy Andersen, Vulture, 3 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
At the same time, there is still an intense hatred among many entities surrounding Israel that want to see its demise.Karl Vick, TIME, 29 Oct. 2024
-
People like that fill me with violent hostility and even hatred.Yukio Mishima, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near malignity
Cite this Entry
“Malignity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malignity. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share