First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1malign
adjective ma·lign \mə-ˈlīn\
: causing or intended to cause harm
Full Definition of MALIGN
1
See malign defined for English-language learners
See malign defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
Origin of MALIGN
Related to MALIGN
- Synonyms
- bad [slang], bitchy, catty, cruel, despiteful, malevolent, malicious, hateful, malignant, mean, nasty, spiteful, vicious, virulent
- Antonyms
- benevolent, benign, benignant, loving, unmalicious
Synonym Discussion of MALIGN
sinister, baleful, malign mean seriously threatening evil or disaster. sinister suggests a general or vague feeling of fear or apprehension on the part of the observer <a sinister aura haunts the place>. baleful imputes perniciousness or destructiveness to something whether working openly or covertly <exerting a corrupt and baleful influence>. malign applies to what is inherently evil or harmful <the malign effects of racism>.
Rhymes with MALIGN
A-line, affine, airline, align, alkyne, alpine, assign, at sign, balkline, baseline, beeline, benign, bloodline, blue line, blush wine, bovine, bowline, branchline, breadline, bright-line, buntline, bustline, byline, call sign, canine, caprine, carbine, carmine, cervine, chow line, clothesline, cloud nine, coastline, combine, compline, condign, confine, consign, corvine, cosign, cutline, dateline, deadline, decline, define, design, divine, dragline, driveline, earthshine, Einstein, eiswein, end line, enshrine, entwine, equine, ethyne, fall line, fault line, feline, ferine, first-line, flatline, flight line, foul line, fräulein, frontline, front line, goal line, gold mine, grapevine, guideline, hairline, hard-line, hard pine, headline, hemline, high sign, hipline, Holbein, hotline, ice wine, incline, indign, in fine, in-line, Irvine, jawline, jug wine, landline, land mine, lang syne, lifeline, load line, longline, lupine, mainline, main line, midline, moline, moonshine, neckline, off-line, old-line, online, opine, outline, outshine, ovine, Pauline, peace sign, Petrine, pipeline, piscine, pitch pine, plotline, plumb line, plus sign, pontine, porcine, potline, pound sign, propine, punch line, rapine, recline, redline, red pine, refine, reline, repine, resign, Rhine wine, ridgeline, roofline, Sabine, saline, Scotch pine, scrub pine, setline, shoreline, short line, sideline, sight line, skyline, snow line, soft-line, spring line, straight-line, strandline, straw wine, streamline, strip mine, strychnine, subline, sunshine, supine, syncline, taurine, tie-line, times sign, topline, touchline, towline, tramline, trapline, tree line, trephine, trotline, truckline, trunk line, tumpline, turbine, untwine, ursine, vespine, V sign, vulpine, waistline, white line, white pine, white wine, woodbine, yard line, zebrine, Z line
2malign
verb
: to say bad things about (someone or something) publicly : to criticize (someone or something) harshly or unfairly
Full Definition of MALIGN
transitive verb
: to utter injuriously misleading or false reports about : speak evil of
See malign defined for English-language learners
Origin of MALIGN
Middle English, from Anglo-French maligner to act maliciously, from Late Latin malignari, from Latin malignus
First Known Use: 15th century
Related to MALIGN
Synonym Discussion of MALIGN
malign, traduce, asperse, vilify, calumniate, defame, slander mean to injure by speaking ill of. malign suggests specific and often subtle misrepresentation but may not always imply deliberate lying <the most maligned monarch in British history>. traduce stresses the resulting ignominy and distress to the victim <so traduced the governor that he was driven from office>. asperse implies continued attack on a reputation often by indirect or insinuated detraction <both candidates aspersed the other's motives>. vilify implies attempting to destroy a reputation by open and direct abuse <no criminal was more vilified in the press>. calumniate imputes malice to the speaker and falsity to the assertions <falsely calumniated as a traitor>. defame stresses the actual loss of or injury to one's good name <sued them for defaming her reputation>. slander stresses the suffering of the victim <town gossips slandered their good name>.
MALIGN Defined for Kids
1malign
adjective ma·lign \mə-ˈlīn\
Definition of MALIGN for Kids
2malign
verb
ma·lignedma·lign·ing
Definition of MALIGN for Kids
: to say evil things about : slander
Learn More About MALIGN
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: malignancePrevious Word in the Dictionary: maliferousAll Words Near: malign
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up malign? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).