mean-spirited

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.

She also denied online rumours that Epstein introduced her to Donald Trump, calling them "mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation".

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

Now he’s posting a social media message to the European team apologizing for the “rude and mean-spirited behavior” at the Cup.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 3, 2025

Divorce makes for good drama in any era, but vintage society’s unspoken rules about shunning divorced women seem simultaneously silly, bizarre and mean-spirited.

From Salon • Sep. 14, 2025

They’re notably mean-spirited and, often, comically wordy, in the way of those T-shirts featuring scrolls of indignant text down someone’s back, often printed in Impact, the meme font.

From Slate • Oct. 26, 2024

That way, it’d only seem like mean-spirited gossip.

From "The Lions of Little Rock" by Kristin Levine