malevolent

/məˈlevələnt/ (bre, ipa) · /məˈlevələnt/ (ame, ipa) · /mə-ˈle-və-lənt/ (ame, mw)

malevolent — adjective

  • malevolentpositive
  • more malevolentcomparative
  • most malevolentsuperlative

1. showing an active desire to cause pain, suffering, or trouble for others, not by

1.形容詞C1
釋義

showing an active desire to cause pain, suffering, or trouble for others, not by accident but on purpose — for example, giving someone a threatening look, spreading a cruel rumour, or enjoying another person's misfortune.

例句

The old woman gave the children a malevolent stare as they ran past her garden.

collocation: malevolent stare / malevolent look

Diego's malevolent gossip about his coworker eventually destroyed the team's trust.

同義詞
  • malicious

    focuses on spiteful acts or words intended to hurt others; less about inner character than about specific behaviour

  • spiteful

    more informal; describes pettier revenge or meanness, often over small personal grievances

  • vicious

    emphasises physical cruelty or violent aggression; stronger and more direct than malevolent

  • malevolent

    this entry — formal, often describes a person's nature, a fictional villain, or a sinister atmosphere

反義詞
  • benevolent

    the direct opposite; actively wishing to do good

  • kind

    less formal; describes gentle, caring behaviour toward others

  • benign

    describes something harmless, especially in medical or neutral contexts

用法筆記

Distinguish from 'malicious' (see synonym discussion). 'Malevolent' emphasises an inner desire or intention to do evil, while 'malicious' more often describes specific acts or words meant to hurt.

常見錯誤

❌The storm was malevolent and destroyed many houses.
✅The storm was destructive and destroyed many houses.
💡Malevolent describes human or human-like intention; natural events are not malevolent unless portrayed as deliberately evil in stories.