Standard Lemma guide

malign

adj · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • mə-līn'
  • /məˈlaɪn/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -aɪn
  • CMU ARPABET: M AH0 L AY1 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Evil or malignant in disposition, nature, intent or influence.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Malevolent.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Malignant.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: medicine, oncology, sciences

Examples

  • a malign ulcer

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To make defamatory statements about; to slander or traduce.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: asperse, denigrate, libel, assassinate, backbite, badmouth, befoul, belibel, besmirch, besmear, bewray, blacken, blame, blaze, blemish, blot, blur, calumniate, calumny, chat shit, chat shite, cloud, defame, demonize, deprave, depreciate, detract, dirty, discredit, disgrace, disparage, disrepute, diss, drag through the mud, forgab, forspeak, foul, infamize, lampoon, malign, monsterize, muddy, reproach, revile, scandal, shit-talk, slag, slander, smear, smirch, spatter, spot, speak ill of, stab, stain, sully, talk shit, talk shite, talk trash, tarnish, torch, traduce, trash-talk, unflatter, vilify, vilipend, villainize, wrong

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To treat with malice; to show hatred toward; to abuse; to wrong.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: hate on, spite

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective

Meaning 6

evil or harmful in nature or influence

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • prompted by malign motives
  • believed in witches and malign spirits
  • gave him a malign look
  • a malign lesion

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: benign

7

adjective satellite

Meaning 7

having or exerting a malignant influence

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • malevolent stars
  • a malefic force

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: malefic, malevolent, evil

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

speak unfavorably about

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She badmouths her husband everywhere

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: badmouth, traduce, drag through the mud

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: defame, slander, smirch, asperse, denigrate, calumniate, smear, sully, besmirch

History

Etymology

From Middle English maligne, from Old French maligne, from Latin malignus, from malus (“bad”) + genus (“sort, kind”). Compare benign.

Across languages

Translations

58 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: лош (loš) — evil or malignant
  • Bulgarian: зъл (zǎl) — evil or malignant
  • Czech: špatný — evil or malignant
  • Czech: škodlivý — evil or malignant
  • Czech: neblahý — evil or malignant
  • Finnish: paha — evil or malignant
  • German: böse — evil or malignant
  • German: böswillig — evil or malignant
  • German: übel — evil or malignant
  • German: schlimm — evil or malignant
  • German: schlecht — evil or malignant
  • Greek: κακοήθης (kakoḯthis) — evil or malignant
  • Latin: malignus — evil or malignant
  • Middle English: maligne — evil or malignant
  • Portuguese: maligno — evil or malignant
  • Romanian: malign — evil or malignant
  • Bulgarian: зловреден (zlovreden) — malevolent
  • Finnish: pahantahtoinen — malevolent
  • German: böse — malevolent
  • German: bösartig — malevolent
  • German: böswillig — malevolent
  • German: arglistig — malevolent
  • German: grausam — malevolent
  • German: übelwollend — malevolent
  • German: schädlich — malevolent
  • German: unheilvoll — malevolent
  • German: verderblich — malevolent
  • German: niederträchtig — malevolent
  • German: heimtückisch — malevolent
  • Greek: κακόβουλος (kakóvoulos) — malevolent
  • Latin: malignus — malevolent
  • Middle English: maligne — malevolent
  • Bulgarian: злокачествен (zlokačestven) — oncology: malignant
  • Czech: maligní — oncology: malignant
  • Czech: zhoubný — oncology: malignant
  • Finnish: pahanlaatuinen — oncology: malignant
  • German: maligne — oncology: malignant
  • German: bösartig — oncology: malignant
  • Middle English: maligne — oncology: malignant
  • Romanian: malign — oncology: malignant
  • Slovak: zhubný — oncology: malignant
  • Ukrainian: злоякісний (zlojakisnyj) — oncology: malignant
  • Bulgarian: злословя (zloslovja) — slander or traduce; to make defamatory statements about
  • Czech: pomlouvat — slander or traduce; to make defamatory statements about
  • Czech: očerňovat — slander or traduce; to make defamatory statements about
  • Czech: špinit — slander or traduce; to make defamatory statements about
  • French: vilipender — slander or traduce; to make defamatory statements about
  • French: injurier — slander or traduce; to make defamatory statements about
  • German: schlechtmachen — slander or traduce; to make defamatory statements about
  • German: verleumden — slander or traduce; to make defamatory statements about
  • German: lästern — slander or traduce; to make defamatory statements about
  • German: Übles nachsagen — slander or traduce; to make defamatory statements about
  • Ancient Greek: βλασφημέω (blasphēméō) — slander or traduce; to make defamatory statements about
  • Latin: diffāmō — slander or traduce; to make defamatory statements about
  • Middle English: malignen — slander or traduce; to make defamatory statements about
  • Romanian: defăima — slander or traduce; to make defamatory statements about
  • Spanish: malignar (desus.) — slander or traduce; to make defamatory statements about
  • Ukrainian: лихословити (lyxoslovyty) — slander or traduce; to make defamatory statements about
Real reading context

malign in complete knowledge articles