From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishmaliciousma‧li‧cious /məˈlɪʃəs/ adjective CRUELvery unkind and cruel, and deliberately behaving in a way that is likely to upset or hurt someone a malicious girlmalicious gossip/rumour Who is responsible for these malicious rumours?► see thesaurus at unkind —maliciously adverb —maliciousness noun [uncountable]
Examples from the Corpus
malicious• Nixon's family called Stone's depiction of the late President ''erroneous and malicious.''• And why does he stay so long, even as the festivities turn malicious?• People are still malicious because they are miserable.• Miss Simms took a malicious pleasure in other people's misfortunes.• One of the major flaws in the existing system is that the prosecutor has immunity from law suits claiming malicious prosecution.• malicious rumors• Bored dowagers with wisps snuggling on the shoulders, whispering flattery and malicious rumour in their perfectly sculpted ears.• Mr Jameson dismissed the allegations as malicious rumours.• This malicious suggestion drove Cephalus mad with jealousy.• And she specially enjoyed the extra malicious thrill of her husband's frustration.malicious gossip/rumour• Jotan's daughter, the sister of Jehan, was the source of as much malicious gossip as he was himself.• Bored dowagers with wisps snuggling on the shoulders, whispering flattery and malicious rumour in their perfectly sculpted ears.From Longman Business Dictionarymaliciousma‧li‧cious /məˈlɪʃəs/ adjectiveLAW deliberate and intended to harm or hurt someoneTime Warner sued the company for $100 million, charging ‘willful, wanton and malicious’ breach of contract.You may not be insured for malicious damage by a lodger. —maliciously adverbJones was charged with maliciously wounding his wife. 