malign
Americanverb (used with object)
adjective
-
evil in effect; pernicious; baleful; injurious.
The gloomy house had a malign influence upon her usually good mood.
- Synonyms:
- baneful
-
having or showing an evil disposition; malevolent; malicious.
adjective
verb
Other Word Forms
- maligner noun
- malignly adverb
Etymology
Origin of malign
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English maligne, from Middle French, from Latin malignus; mal-, benign
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Commander Helen Flanagan, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, previously said the arrests were part of "a long-running investigation" and "ongoing work to disrupt malign activity where we suspect it".
From BBC
Once maligned for taking on debt to fuel costly media acquisitions, AT&T has since sold off those units and refocused on core telecommunications activities.
From MarketWatch
Despite their mainstream popularity, these groups were critically maligned—derided as “corporate rock” for their songs’ meticulous production.
And I, for one, am tired of the way black holes get maligned!
From Literature
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Richly talented but much maligned, England captain Harry Brook finally achieved redemption at Pallekele stadium in Kandy after a torrid few months -- and came of age as a leader.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.