MALIGN Synonyms: 127 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'malign' different from other adjectives like it?

The words baleful and sinister are common synonyms of malign . While all three words mean "seriously threatening evil or disaster," malign applies to what is inherently evil or harmful. // the malign effects of racism

Q: When could 'baleful' be used to replace 'malign'?

In some situations, the words baleful and malign are roughly equivalent. However, baleful imputes perniciousness or destructiveness to something whether working openly or covertly. // exerting a corrupt and baleful influence

Q: When would 'sinister' be a good substitute for 'malign'?

The synonyms sinister and malign are sometimes interchangeable, but sinister suggests a general or vague feeling of fear or apprehension on the part of the observer. // a sinister aura haunts the place

malign 1 of 2

adjective

mə-ˈlīn

Definition of malign

as in malicious

having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it both parties to the divorce showed a malign desire to make each other's future life utterly miserable

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malign

2 of 2

verb

as in to libel

to make untrue and harmful statements about a candidate who believes that it is possible to win an election without maligning anyone

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How is the word malign different from other adjectives like it?

The words baleful and sinister are common synonyms of malign. While all three words mean "seriously threatening evil or disaster," malign applies to what is inherently evil or harmful.

the malign effects of racism

When could baleful be used to replace malign?

In some situations, the words baleful and malign are roughly equivalent. However, baleful imputes perniciousness or destructiveness to something whether working openly or covertly.

exerting a corrupt and baleful influence

When would sinister be a good substitute for malign?

The synonyms sinister and malign are sometimes interchangeable, but sinister suggests a general or vague feeling of fear or apprehension on the part of the observer.

a sinister aura haunts the place

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of malign

Adjective

The prices, the vast distances fans have to cover, the hijacking of the tournament by malign political forces, the environmental damage that all of this travel is causing… there is plenty to take the edge off the primal joy that the football has given us. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 23 June 2026 And the terrorist Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps responsible for much of the country’s malign behavior now has a tighter grip on its government than ever. — Jason Willick, Washington Post, 19 June 2026

Verb

The move quickly set off a firestorm, with immigration rights advocates accusing DOJ of trying to malign a dead man. — Josh Campbell, CNN Money, 19 July 2026 Or maybe England’s much maligned Bukayo Saka shaking off early struggles to finish with a hat trick? — Sergio Gonzalez, New York Times, 19 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for malign

Recent Examples of Synonyms for malign

Adjective

That leaves a short window during which malicious activity can contaminate the prediction machinery again.

— Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
An attacker can then register the site and plant malicious instructions on it.

— Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of malicious

Verb

In 2022, Manhattan Federal Judge Jed Rakoff, who presided over both trials, decided The Times was not liable for defamation while jurors were deliberating, that the error amounted to unfortunate editorializing but not libel.

— Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2025
As a new, inexpensive Chevrolet appeared in 1927 and The Dearborn Independent was sued for libeling a number of Jewish businessmen, Ford threw in the towel and apologized.

— George Pendle, airmail.news, 15 Mar. 2025

Definition of libel

Verb

Darker smears around the crater’s rim contain surface rocks and lunar dust called regolith previously altered by solar winds, micrometeorites, and cosmic radiation over an extended period of time.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Aug. 2026
The atmosphere works on them a little bit harder and reduces their strength and smears them a little bit more.

— Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of smear

Adjective

Detectives charged him with murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon for the vicious attack that killed his mother, 57-year-old Josefa Soto de Guzman, on Friday.

— Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 26 Aug. 2026
Pace, skill, a vicious shot, the ability to make opposition defenders look like fools.

— James Horncastle, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of vicious

Verb

As a result, partisans of the political left and right routinely use allegations of plagiarism to vilify their ideological adversaries.

— Roger J. Kreuz, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026
That is enough for them, no matter the facts or context, to side with the Black lesbian woman and vilify the straight white one.

— Bobby Burack OutKick, FOXNews.com, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of vilify

Adjective

Grabs a ketchup bottle and garnishes his face, before squirting mustard into his hateful, piggish eyes.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2026
Doukoure characterized Tuesday's rhetoric as hateful but said CAIR and members of the Muslim community have become accustomed to being targeted because of their advocacy.

— Gino Vicci, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of hateful

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“Malign.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malign. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of malign

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