perniciousness
Subtly destructive nature
Perniciousness is the quality of causing serious harm, especially in a gradual or subtle way.
The word implies damage that works insidiously rather than obviously: the perniciousness of racism, the perniciousness of misinformation.
Something pernicious corrupts or destroys while evading easy detection.
Capacity to cause harm
- destructivenessTendency to cause ruin
- noxiousnessQuality of being harmful
- malignancyCancerous, invasive growth
- detrimentCause of damage
damage · balefulness · hazardousness · virulence · malevolence · corrosiveness · poisonousness · baneful
Ability to cause death
- fatalityDeath from accident
- mortalityState of eventual death
- deadlinessQuality of causing death
- virulenceCapacity to cause disease
terminality · destructiveness · bane · doom · venom · poison · plague · scourge
Fine distinction, easily missed
- stealthSecret, undetected movement
- sneakinessFurtive, deceptive quality
- treacherousnessState of being deceptive
- underhandedSecretly dishonest or unfair
deceptiveness · slyness · cunning · creeping · gradual · covert · hidden · veiled
Moral corruption or evil
- evilProfound moral wickedness
- maliceIntent to cause harm
- depravityProfound moral corruption
- corruptionDishonest abuse of power
vileness · sinfulness · iniquity · maleficence · nefariousness · turpitude · degeneracy · immorality
toxicity
Capacity to cause harm
- destructivenessTendency to cause ruin
- noxiousnessQuality of being harmful
- malignancyCancerous, invasive growth
detriment · damage · balefulness · hazardousness · virulence · malevolence · corrosiveness · poisonousness · baneful · adverse
lethality
Ability to cause death
- fatalityDeath from accident
- mortalityState of eventual death
- deadlinessQuality of causing death
virulence · terminality · destructiveness · bane · doom · venom · poison · plague · scourge · pestilence
subtlety
Fine distinction, easily missed
- stealthSecret, undetected movement
- sneakinessFurtive, deceptive quality
- treacherousnessState of being deceptive
underhanded · deceptiveness · slyness · cunning · creeping · gradual · covert · hidden · veiled · imperceptible
wickedness
Moral corruption or evil
corruption · vileness · sinfulness · iniquity · maleficence · nefariousness · turpitude · degeneracy · immorality · unscrupulousness
perniciousnessharmlessness
Inability to cause damage
benignity · salubriousness · healthfulness · wholesomeness · helpfulness
perniciousnessbenevolence
Disposition toward doing good
beneficence · virtuousness · goodness · kindness · graciousness