adj
malevolent
muh-LEH-vuh-luhnt
Malevolent (adj) means wishing harm on others; having ill will. Example: “The villain's malevolent grin unsettled everyone in the room.”
adj
1
Wishing harm on others; having ill will.
"In Iraq the bullying continued. After she witnessed the death of a colleague, Manning felt how “with enough grief, adrenaline and fear”, war can turn anyone “amoral, even malevolent”."
— Simon Parkin, README.txt by Chelsea Manning review – secrets and spies (2022)
"The villain's malevolent grin unsettled everyone in the room."
"He accused his rival of spreading malevolent rumors."
How to use malevolent
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWanting bad things to happen to other people; the opposite of benevolent.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
malevolent intent
a malevolent smile
malevolent force
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more malevolent
- Superlative
- most malevolent
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The villain's _____ grin unsettled everyone in the room.
Etymology
From Latin male ("badly") and volens ("wishing"), from velle ("to wish") — literally "wishing badly" on someone.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for malevolent
See all rhymes for malevolent →Frequently asked questions
What does “malevolent” mean?
The word “malevolent” means wishing harm on others; having ill will. In plain terms, wanting bad things to happen to other people; the opposite of benevolent.
How do you pronounce “malevolent”?
“Malevolent” is pronounced muh-LEH-vuh-luhnt (/məˈlɛvələnt/ in IPA).
How do you use “malevolent” in a sentence?
Here is “malevolent” used in a sentence: “The villain's malevolent grin unsettled everyone in the room.”
What part of speech is “malevolent”?
“Malevolent” is an adjective.
Where does the word “malevolent” come from?
The word “malevolent” comes from Latin. From Latin male ("badly") and volens ("wishing"), from velle ("to wish") — literally "wishing badly" on someone.
