1
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
a vicious winter storm ripped through the region
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in brutal
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others
she made a vicious effort to destroy the lives of the people who had wronged her
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in unlawful
not conforming to a high moral standard; morally unacceptable
a truly vicious person detested by almost everyone
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in savage
violently unfriendly or aggressive in disposition
a vicious dog that has already bitten several people
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5
as in malicious
having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it
he spread vicious rumors about his ex-wife after their bitter divorce
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of vicious
He got caught in a vicious cycle of taking out loans at exorbitant rates.
—
Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 2 Mar. 2025
Following O’Neal and John’s split in 1992, the two engaged in a vicious and lengthy custody battle over their three children, Kevin, Sean and Emily.
—Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 27 Feb. 2025
The enemies of the liberal order have reclaimed the initiative, and Eurasia is once again the site of vicious struggles.
—Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
More than 80 women went public with horrific tales of his brutal, coercive and punishing tactics, including launching vicious, career-crippling smear campaigns against those who eluded him, from Mira Sorvino to Ashley Judd.
—Scott Huver, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vicious
Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 2 Mar. 2025
Following O’Neal and John’s split in 1992, the two engaged in a vicious and lengthy custody battle over their three children, Kevin, Sean and Emily.
—Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 27 Feb. 2025
The enemies of the liberal order have reclaimed the initiative, and Eurasia is once again the site of vicious struggles.
—Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
More than 80 women went public with horrific tales of his brutal, coercive and punishing tactics, including launching vicious, career-crippling smear campaigns against those who eluded him, from Mira Sorvino to Ashley Judd.
—Scott Huver, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for vicious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vicious
Adjective
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This is due to the bodywork, interior work, and intense customization required to retrofit a new drivetrain under an old body.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
8 Mar. 2025
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The intense gravitational pull from the black hole rips the two stars apart, capturing one star into a close orbit around it, notes the center.—
Bruce Dorminey,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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England’s Champions Trophy campaign finally came to a brutal end when they were beaten by South Africa in Karachi by seven wickets with almost 21 overs to spare.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
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The free chow was served daily, except on Fridays, and continued through a brutal period of industrywide cost-cutting that persists to this day.—
Katcy Stephan,
Variety,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Legal experts say the moves are likely unlawful, workers complain they were sloppily handled, and the whole process runs the risk of doing long-term damage to critical workings of the federal government.—
Emily Peck,
Axios,
12 Mar. 2025
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Duterte's former legal counsel Salvador Panelo said the arrest was unlawful, and said the police did not allow one of his lawyers to meet Duterte at the airport.—
Karen Lema,
USA TODAY,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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As savage Arctic cold was getting ready to surge south across North America, vivid imagery based on data from weather models showed us what was going to happen.—
Tom Yulsman,
Discover Magazine,
27 Dec. 2022
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The 2023 grand marshal is former Arizona Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords, gravely wounded in a savage mass shooting in 2011 that also killed six people.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Dec. 2022
Adjective
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The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious apps is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
Fox News,
11 Mar. 2025
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Fraudsters are increasingly using generative AI to write convincing phishing emails, improve deepfakes, and draft new forms of malicious code — making scams harder to detect.—
Sam Sabin,
Axios,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The tool is designed for people who do intensive knowledge work in areas like finance, science, policy, and engineering.—
Gene Marks,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
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The episode, written by Dan Erickson and Mark Friedman and directed by Jessica Lee Gagné, feels almost made with Reddit in mind, filled with images and Easter Eggs that demand intensive screenshot analysis.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Immigration advocates call the crackdown cruel and wrongheaded and warn that many Latino U.S. citizens will likely suffer violations of their civil rights and possibly even get mistakenly deported.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
6 Mar. 2025
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As mere surrogates, the Trump-DeSantis fight to outdo each other through mean and cruel policies will go on.—
Letters to the Editor,
Orlando Sentinel,
6 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Hot on the trail of a new brood of evil Mogwai, our heroes journey deep into the American West, coming up against new supernatural creatures and picking up a few mysterious characters along the way.—
Denise Petski,
Deadline,
6 Mar. 2025
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Fans have long waited to see how the show, produced by Skybound Entertainment, adapts this massive event from Kirkman's comics, which sees Angstrom (Sterling K. Brown) assemble an army of evil Marks from alternate dimensions to lay siege to Earth.—
Nick Romano,
EW.com,
6 Mar. 2025
Articles Related to vicious
Cite this Entry
“Vicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vicious. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.
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