meanspirited
Deliberately hurtful natured
Meanspirited describes behavior or attitudes motivated by petty cruelty or unkindness—a desire to cause minor harm or discomfort rather than any practical benefit.
A meanspirited remark wounds without purpose.
A meanspirited prank entertains the prankster at someone else's expense.
The word suggests smallness of character: It was meanspirited of him to bring up her old mistakes.
Also spelled mean-spirited.
Given to cutting remarks
- bitingHarshly critical or cold
- causticChemically burning; bitterly mocking
- acerbicSharp and biting
- scathingSeverely and bitingly critical
vitriolic · sardonic · acrimonious · barbed · stinging · hurtful · mocking · sneering
Lacking breadth of thought
- grudgingReluctant, resentful in giving
- enviousWanting what others possess
- jealousResentful of others' advantages
- cattySlyly spiteful
snide · nitpicking · begrudging · stingy · miserly · cheap · churlish · ungenerous
Wanting to hurt others
- vindictiveSeeking harm from resentment
- malevolentHarboring ill will
- nastyDeeply unpleasant or spiteful
- wickedEvil or slang-excellent
scheming · manipulative · venomous · rancorous · malignant · ill-intentioned · hateful · vile
Lacking pity or mercy
- callousCruelly insensitive to others
- viciousCruelly aggressive in nature
- brutalSavagely harsh or severe
- ruthlessLacking any compassion
merciless · sadistic · cold-blooded · pitiless · unfeeling · uncaring · insensitive · inhumane
Actively opposed or hostile
- belligerentHostile and eager to clash
- combativeInclined toward conflict
- aggressiveHostile and confrontational
- quarrelsomeInclined to dispute
confrontational · pugnacious · truculent · contentious · argumentative · contrary · ornery · cantankerous
sharp-tongued
Given to cutting remarks
scathing · vitriolic · sardonic · acrimonious · barbed · stinging · hurtful · mocking · sneering · derisive
small-minded
Lacking breadth of thought
- grudgingReluctant, resentful in giving
- enviousWanting what others possess
- jealousResentful of others' advantages
catty · snide · nitpicking · begrudging · stingy · miserly · cheap · churlish · ungenerous · tightfisted
spiteful
Wanting to hurt others
- vindictiveSeeking harm from resentment
- malevolentHarboring ill will
- nastyDeeply unpleasant or spiteful
wicked · scheming · manipulative · venomous · rancorous · malignant · ill-intentioned · hateful · vile · devious
heartless
Lacking pity or mercy
- callousCruelly insensitive to others
- viciousCruelly aggressive in nature
- brutalSavagely harsh or severe
ruthless · merciless · sadistic · cold-blooded · pitiless · unfeeling · uncaring · insensitive · inhumane · remorseless
antagonistic
Actively opposed or hostile
- belligerentHostile and eager to clash
- combativeInclined toward conflict
- aggressiveHostile and confrontational
quarrelsome · confrontational · pugnacious · truculent · contentious · argumentative · contrary · ornery · cantankerous · ill-tempered
meanspiritedgenerous
Willing to give freely
bighearted · giving · liberal · charitable · munificent
meanspiritedkindhearted
Naturally sympathetic and caring
warmhearted · kind · goodhearted · compassionate · caring
meanspiritedmagnanimous
Noble and forgiving
noble · highminded · gracious · good-natured · high-minded
mean, means, meant, meaning, meanings, meanly, meanness, spirit, spirits