All words

malevolent

Meaning

Having or showing a desire to cause harm or suffering to others; characterized by ill will.

Examples by difficulty

Basic: Simple, everyday vocabulary — the easiest to read.

Sophie stayed away from her neighbor because he always seemed malevolent. He once let her dog out of the yard on purpose and smiled when she chased after it. She did not trust someone who clearly had a wish to do evil to others.

The shadowy figure watched from the alley, a cruel smile on his face. He clearly had a wish to do evil to others, a truly malevolent presence that sent shivers down the spine of anyone who saw him lurking.

His eyes burned with a malevolent rage as he watched his rival walk away. Every muscle in his body wanted revenge, a deep, cold anger that promised nothing good would come to the person who had hurt him so deeply.

When Timmy’s cat knocks over his cereal every morning, it stares at him with a sneaky grin, looking truly malevolent—like it enjoys making his life harder. It almost seems as if the cat has a secret wish to do evil to Timmy’s soggy breakfast.

The sneaky goblin had a truly malevolent grin, clearly wishing all sorts of bad things on anyone who dared to eat his slightly-moldy cheese. He hoped they'd get a tummy ache and maybe trip over a rogue mushroom.

Normal: Standard, everyday language.

The malevolent being was lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce on its unsuspecting prey. It was almost as if it could sense the fear emanating from its victim, and it enjoyed watching the terror in its victim's eyes before it struck. There was something almost gleeful in the way it went about its business, and it seemed to take pleasure in causing pain. It was a creature of pure evil, and it was not to be underestimated.

The malevolent coach glared at the team, plotting their downfall. He enjoyed watching them suffer and take losses. Losing was the only thing that made him feel better. The coach was convinced that the team would never win under his leadership.

One way to spot a malevolent person is by their gleeful reaction to the misfortune of others. They may pretend to be sympathetic, but secretly they will be delighted that something bad has happened to someone else. Another trait of a malevolent person is that they will go out of their way to make someone else's life difficult. For example, they may deliberately break something that belongs to someone else, or they may try to make them look foolish in front of others. If you suspect that someone is malevolent, it is best to keep your distance and avoid them if possible.

Malevolence is often seen in people who enjoy causing pain to others. These people seem to take pleasure in making others suffer and may even go out of their way to do so. In some cases, this malevolence may be the result of a mental disorder that causes the individual to act in this way.

He always had a smile on his face, but it never reached his eyes. There was something Malevolent about him that made her skin crawl. She tried to stay away from him, but he always seemed to be there, watching her. And then one day, she found out why.

Advanced: Richer vocabulary that stretches an upper-level reader.

The man in the alley wore a cold smile, and there was something malevolent in his eyes. He seemed to enjoy causing fear, almost as if he wished to do evil to anyone who crossed his path. His presence filled the night with quiet danger.

The shadowed figure watched from the alley, a chilling satisfaction spreading through him. He felt a profound wish to inflict suffering, a malevolent glee in the misfortunes of others that kept him rooted in the darkness.

The old man's malevolent stare cut through the room, his eyes promising revenge. His clenched fists and rigid posture suggested he would stop at nothing to harm those who had wronged him, radiating a quiet, intense hatred that made everyone around him deeply uncomfortable.

When Greg's cat fixed him with a malevolent stare, as though plotting his downfall for buying the cheap brand of cat food, Greg briefly wondered if he should start sleeping with one eye open. There is no getting on the bad side of a pet who wishes you nothing but evil for your taste in kibble.

The wizard, whose eyes glinted with a decidedly malevolent intent, cackled as he conjured a shower of glitter-bombing squirrels. His wish to inflict maximum annoyance upon the unsuspecting townsfolk was thoroughly realized.

Challenging: Rare, high-register vocabulary for serious word lovers.

Despite his benign appearance, there was something unsettling about Mr. Yates’s behavior. He lingered in the shadows, his eyes fixed on others with a cold intensity. His malevolent intentions became clear when he tried to sabotage a colleague’s work, showing a real wish to cause harm.

The glint in his eyes wasn't just cunning; it was a cold, malevolent intent, promising only suffering for anyone caught in his path. He relished their fear, his gaze a palpable threat of impending harm.

The old man's malevolent glare made the children shudder. His eyes burned with such pure hatred that they instinctively backed away, sensing a deep, inexplicable desire to cause them harm. Something in his twisted expression promised more than simple anger—it threatened pure, calculated destruction.

Gertrude’s cat, Muffin, considered herself malevolent; her favorite pastime involved plotting to upend flower vases with insidious precision, giving houseplants an unceremonious dunking and evincing her wish to do evil to all things green. Even the ficus quivered in abject dread whenever her tail twitched.

Barnaby, a purveyor of particularly pungent pranks, harbored a *malevolent* spirit, his every gleeful scheme designed to inflict maximum, yet ultimately harmless, vexation upon his unsuspecting colleagues. His latest stratagem involved strategically placed whoopee cushions, a truly diabolical but delightful endeavor.

Difficulty

Advanced — Less frequent words that stretch an upper-level vocabulary.

Appears in

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