1
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
a vicious winter storm ripped through the region
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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
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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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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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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of vicious
In an outraged response, a vicious backlash took hold—one that used violence, legislation, and propaganda to halt their progress.
—
Stacey Abrams, Essence, 4 July 2025
Bare-knuckle brawling and vicious bone breaks are the order of the day, and Ziam looks like a perfect summer popcorn flick.
—PC Magazine, 4 July 2025
Many never recovered from a cataclysmic event such as a foreclosure that left them in a vicious cycle where bad credit scores (among many factors) kept them from accessing the economic necessities needed to rebuild.
—Chi Chi Wu, Chicago Tribune, 3 July 2025
Shocking no one, Taylor and Dakota are still doing vicious cycle.
—Olivia Crandall, Vulture, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for vicious
Stacey Abrams, Essence, 4 July 2025
Bare-knuckle brawling and vicious bone breaks are the order of the day, and Ziam looks like a perfect summer popcorn flick.
—PC Magazine, 4 July 2025
Many never recovered from a cataclysmic event such as a foreclosure that left them in a vicious cycle where bad credit scores (among many factors) kept them from accessing the economic necessities needed to rebuild.
—Chi Chi Wu, Chicago Tribune, 3 July 2025
Shocking no one, Taylor and Dakota are still doing vicious cycle.
—Olivia Crandall, Vulture, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for vicious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vicious
Adjective
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Early Friday morning, intense rain caused flash flooding across Texas Hill Country.—
Rebecca Angel Baer,
Southern Living,
6 July 2025
-
There were several safety cars during the race, along with changing conditions with periods of intense rain followed by a drying track.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 July 2025
Adjective
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Read more: 49ers Reveal Significant Injury Update on Brandon Aiyuk Ahead of his first season as the Vikings' starter, McCarthy has been hit with a brutal prediction.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
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The Eastern Conference is wide open after the brutal injuries to both Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton during the playoffs, and now the Knicks are saddled with the expectations of excellence.—
Tom Rende,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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In a brief unsigned opinion, the Supreme Court said that the injunction issued by the district court was based on its view that Mr. Trump's executive order and directives from the Office of Management and Budget and Office of Personnel Management implementing that action are unlawful.—
July 8,
CBS News,
8 July 2025
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The dad was charged with violating his probation, parental kidnapping, endangering the welfare of a child and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to the news release.—
Kate Linderman
July 8,
Kansas City Star,
8 July 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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Deepfakes have been growing more sophisticated in recent years, in addition to being increasingly deployed for malicious purposes.—
Shannon Bond,
NPR,
10 July 2025
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The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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An intensive moisturiser that delivers maximum hydration, Revision’s DermProtect Barrier Defense™ also replenishes natural lipids, and enhances moisture retention.—
Angela Lei,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
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The military would prefer to focus on managing ever-growing threats from satellites, an intensive effort that requires continual monitoring as other nations' increasingly sophisticated spacecraft maneuver from one orbit to another.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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Politics remains a cruel business and the governor has been on the frontline of it for nearly 20 years, winning and losing.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
5 July 2025
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They were joined by actors playing the contestants, who lurched along wearing expressions of exaggerated horror, as though the cruel stakes of the game had just been revealed to them.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 July 2025
Adjective
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From the twins and their parents to evil fiancées and housekeepers, the characters have gained a cult following since their release, with some fans using them as inspiration for their outfits, summer mood boards, and interior design.—
Claire Hoppe Norgaard,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 July 2025
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Historically, antisemitic conspiracy theories have revolved around the idea that a shadowy and evil Jewish elite secretly controls the world, and ritualistic child abuse is a common trope within them.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Vicious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vicious. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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