malice

[mal-is] / ˈmæl ɪs /

NOUN

hate, vengefulness

Synonyms

STRONGEST

animosity animus antipathy bitterness enmity grudge hate hatred hostility ill will meanness rancor resentment vengefulness

STRONG

acerbity bane bile despite dirt dislike down evil hatefulness malevolence maliciousness malignance malignity mordacity poison repugnance spite spitefulness spleen umbrage venom viciousness vindictiveness

WEAK

bad blood despitefulness implacability

Antonyms

STRONGEST

friendliness friendship good will happiness kindness liking love loving respect sympathy

STRONG

morality

WEAK

benevolence thoughtfulness

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Black said his faith helps him make sense of the violence he witnessed and endured — not simply as the product of individual malice, but as something sustained by collective moral failure.

From Salon • Apr. 6, 2026

Prosecutors charged Moore with malice murder because she had taken misoprostol.

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

Nine of the 12 furors further found that both companies had acted with malice, oppression or fraud, a finding that set the stage for the separate punitive damages.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

Ultimately, the reviews exist to help other guests and hosts to make an informed decision, and the entire system works better if people are honest and act without malice.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 20, 2026

“Couldn’t wake him up,” said Avens, with a touch of malice.

From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams

Vocabulary lists containing malice

The Vocabulary.com Top 1000

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Take the Bad with the Good: Bene and Mal

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The Tragedy of Macbeth

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