vindictively

IPA/vɪnˈdɪktɪvli/
IPA/vɪnˈdɪktɪvli/

vindictively — adverb

1. with the intention of hurting someone because you feel they have treated you bad

1.adverbC1
Definition

with the intention of hurting someone because you feel they have treated you badly

Example

Lukas vindictively deleted his colleague's work after she got the team lead job.

vindictively + verb of destruction: motive-driven negative action

Hamza vindictively told the teacher about a rule his classmate had broken.

Common collocations
  • vindictively destroy
  • vindictively ignore
  • vindictively withhold
  • vindictively attack
  • vindictively punish
Synonyms
  • spitefully

    suggests petty or mean-spirited cruelty, not necessarily driven by revenge

  • vengefully

    stronger, implies deep and prolonged desire for payback

  • maliciously

    broader term for deliberate harm; lacks the 'you wronged me first' element

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

vindictively + action verb

Usage Note

Typically modifies action verbs (delete, destroy, ignore), not stative verbs. Most often placed before the main verb or after the object.

Common Mistakes

She was vindictively towards her ex.
She acted vindictively towards her ex.
'vindictively' is an adverb describing how an action is done; it cannot follow a linking verb like 'was'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

Vindictively, spitefully, vengefully, and maliciously all describe harmful intent, but they differ in focus. Vindictively emphasises retaliation — the action is payback for a perceived wrong. Spitefully highlights petty, mean-spirited behaviour that may not be revenge-driven: someone can be spiteful towards a stranger. Vengefully is the strongest, implying deep, often prolonged desire for revenge. Maliciously is the broadest: it means intending harm for any reason, without the 'you hurt me first' element. Compare: 'She vindictively unfriended him after he forgot her birthday' (payback) versus 'He spitefully mocked her new haircut' (petty cruelty) versus 'They maliciously spread lies to ruin a rival's career' (harm for its own sake).

spitefully ↗vengefullymaliciously ↗

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Formed from the adjective vindictive, which came into English in the early 1500s from Latin vindicta ('revenge, vengeance'). The Latin root vindicare meant 'to claim, to avenge.' The adverb vindictively appeared later, adding the -ly suffix to describe the manner of performing an action with vengeful intent.