malign
Smear with words
Malign as a verb means to speak harmful untruths about someone, damaging their reputation through false or misleading statements.
Political opponents maligned her throughout the campaign.
As an adjective, malign describes something evil or harmful in nature or influence, often suggesting a sinister quality.
A malign tumor is cancerous, as opposed to a benign one.
Malign forces or malign intent suggest deliberate harm or ill will lurking beneath the surface.
Spoken false defamation
- libelPrinted defamation
- smearSpread or defame
- vilifyAttack someone's reputation
- denigrateCriticize unfairly to harm
calumniate · besmirch · tarnish · impugn · disparage · traduce · aspersion · defame
Harboring ill will
- wickedEvil or slang-excellent
- sinisterThreateningly suggestive of harm
- nefariousExtremely evil or villainous
- villainousExtremely wicked or criminal
diabolical · heinous · depraved · vile · iniquitous · dastardly · fiendish · demonic
Causing physical harm
- noxiousHarmful, especially when inhaled
- deleteriousCausing harm or damage
- detrimentalCausing harm or damage
- perniciousGradually and subtly harmful
damaging · baneful · destructive · adverse · corrosive · insidious · ruinous · poisonous
slander
Spoken false defamation
denigrate · calumniate · besmirch · tarnish · impugn · disparage · traduce · aspersion · defame · badmouth
malevolent
Harboring ill will
- wickedEvil or slang-excellent
- sinisterThreateningly suggestive of harm
- nefariousExtremely evil or villainous
villainous · diabolical · heinous · depraved · vile · iniquitous · dastardly · fiendish · demonic · infernal
injurious
Causing physical harm
- noxiousHarmful, especially when inhaled
- deleteriousCausing harm or damage
- detrimentalCausing harm or damage
pernicious · damaging · baneful · destructive · adverse · corrosive · insidious · ruinous · poisonous · toxic
vindictive
Seeking harm from resentment
vicious · hostile · bitter · resentful · rancorous · venomous · catty · mean-spirited · scheming · hateful
tumor
Abnormal tissue mass
- metastasisCancer spreading beyond origin
- carcinomaEpithelial malignant tumor
- oncologyCancer medicine specialty
neoplasm · cancerous · biopsy · prognosis · chemotherapy · radiation · lymphoma · sarcoma · melanoma · metastatic
- disparagementdefame, denigrate, disparage, slander, vilify
- accusationsaccusation, accuse, accuser, allegation, allege
- scoldingscold, scolding, rebuke, berate, reprimand
- wickedevil, wicked, villainous, sinister, malevolent
malignbenign
Not harmful or threatening
benevolent · benignant · kind · kindhearted · loving
malignbeneficial
Producing good results
benign · salutary · helpful · constructive · healthful
- malignant tumorCancerous bodily growth
- malicious intentPurpose to cause harm
- malicious gossipHarmful talk about others
- malicious complianceHarmful adherence to instructions
- malice aforethoughtPrior intent to harm
- with malice
malice, malicious, malignant, malignity, maligned, maligning, malignancy, malingering, maligns