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

Wishing harm on others; having ill will.

"The villain's malevolent grin unsettled everyone in the room."

"He accused his rival of spreading malevolent rumors."

How to use malevolent

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishWanting bad things to happen to other people; the opposite of benevolent.

Easily confused with

benevolent → malevolence →

Common pairings

malevolent intent a malevolent smile malevolent force

Word forms

more malevolent comparative, most malevolent superlative

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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.

Origin: Latin

Rhymes for malevolent

violent indolent insolent benevolent

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.