Malevolent
Malevolent adjective - Having or showing a desire to cause someone pain or suffering for the sheer enjoyment of it.
Usage example: the novel grossly oversimplified the conflict as a struggle between relentlessly malevolent villains on one side and faultless saints on the other
Scathing and malevolent are semantically related. In some cases you can use "Scathing" instead an adjective "Malevolent".
Nearby Words: malevolence, malevolently
Scathing
Scathing adjective - Marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings.
Malevolent and scathing are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Malevolent" instead an adjective "Scathing".
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
Cite this Source
Scathing and Malevolent. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 09, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/malevolent/scathing
Malevolent & Scathing. N.p., 2016. Web. 09 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/malevolent/scathing>.
Scathing or Malevolent. 2016. Accessed August 09, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/malevolent/scathing.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "malevolent" and "scathing" have occurred on timeline