English adjective: malign | |||
1. | malign evil or harmful in nature or influence | ||
Samples | Prompted by malign motives. Believed in witches and malign spirits. Gave him a malign look. A malign lesion. | ||
Similar | cancerous | ||
See also | harmful, maleficent, unkind | ||
Attribute | malignance, malignancy, malignity | ||
Antonyms | benignant, benign | ||
2. | malign having or exerting a malignant influence | ||
Samples | Malevolent stars. A malefic force. | ||
Synonyms | evil, malefic, malevolent | ||
Similar | maleficent | ||
Antonyms | beneficent | ||
English verb: malign | |||
1. | malign (communication) speak unfavorably about | ||
Samples | She badmouths her husband everywhere. | ||
Synonyms | badmouth, drag through the mud, traduce | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Somebody ----s somebody | ||
Broader (hypernym) | asperse, besmirch, calumniate, defame, denigrate, slander, smear, smirch, sully | ||