Malign
adjective
Having a harmful effect or intending to cause harm.
Sarah's malign influence on the team was causing problems.
Often appears as...
- malign influence
- malign intent
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
verb
To say bad things about someone or something publically.
He felt maligned by the press.
Often appears as...
- malign someone
- malign in press
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
adjective
Having a harmful effect or intending to cause harm.
Sarah's malign influence on the team was causing problems.
Often appears as...
- malign influence
- malign intent
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
verb
To say bad things about someone or something publically.
He felt maligned by the press.
Often appears as...
- malign someone
- malign in press
Usage tips
Formal, Disapproving
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Nuance
Malign as an adjective suggests something worse than just bad, it implies an evil or insidious quality.
The malign gossip quickly tarnished her reputation.
Pro Tip 2/3Beyond Physical
'Malign' often refers to non-physical things, such as attitudes or actions, rather than objects.
Tom's malign intentions were hidden behind his smile.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Obvious
A 'malign' effect may not be immediately apparent but harmful in the long run.
The policy had a malign effect on the economy, becoming evident years later.
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Nuance
Malign as an adjective suggests something worse than just bad, it implies an evil or insidious quality.
The malign gossip quickly tarnished her reputation.
Pro Tip 2/3Beyond Physical
'Malign' often refers to non-physical things, such as attitudes or actions, rather than objects.
Tom's malign intentions were hidden behind his smile.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Obvious
A 'malign' effect may not be immediately apparent but harmful in the long run.
The policy had a malign effect on the economy, becoming evident years later.
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Nuance
Malign as an adjective suggests something worse than just bad, it implies an evil or insidious quality.
The malign gossip quickly tarnished her reputation.
Pro Tip 2/3Beyond Physical
'Malign' often refers to non-physical things, such as attitudes or actions, rather than objects.
Tom's malign intentions were hidden behind his smile.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Obvious
A 'malign' effect may not be immediately apparent but harmful in the long run.
The policy had a malign effect on the economy, becoming evident years later.
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Video examples
Greening the ghetto -...
populated by poor people of color both hotbeds of cultural innovation think hip-hop and jazz both the waterfront communities that hosts both industries and residents in close proximity to one another in the post Katrina era we have still more in common we're at best ignored and maligned and abused at worse
Video examples
My $500 house in Detroit...
in one of the most maligned cities in the world. If we can do it in Detroit, you can do it wherever you're from, too. What I've learned over the last decade, building my house, wasn't so much about wiring or plumbing or carpentry -- although I did learn these things --
Video examples
Chimamanda Ngozi...
that don't have anything in their libraries, and also of organizing lots and lots of workshops, in reading and writing, for all the people who are eager to tell our many stories. Stories matter. Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign,
Video examples
How to lead a...
so deeply divided -- when we live in a world in which cousins and aunts and uncles can't talk to one another, when we often live in separate and distinct news ecosystems, and when we reflexively and habitually malign and dismiss those with whom we disagree?
Video examples
How tech companies...
a fitness app can sell your data to a health insurance company, preventing you from getting coverage in the future. All of this is happening in the world today. But of course, not all uses of data are malign. Some are just flawed or need more work,
Video examples
On the Road With Andrew...
was very interesting genre you know it's sort of a malign genre in a certain way with but there's certain when people do it well they can really capture the essence of a moment in time in a place in themselves and in the place so I just
Video examples
Bob Mankoff: Anatomy of...
You glance over at this, and it says, "Asshead. Please help"? God. So there the violation is malign. It doesn't work. There is no such thing as funny in and of itself. Everything will be within the context and our expectations.
Video examples
Dan Barber: A surprising...
The best culinary experience of my life. Because what I saw, I'm convinced, is the future of cooking. Ridiculous, right? Foie gras and the future of cooking. There's not a food today that's more maligned than foie gras, right?
Video examples
3 ways to make better...
it's worth recognizing that you probably already have. That pile of papers on your desk typically maligned as messy and disorganized, a pile of papers is, in fact, perfectly organized --
Video examples
Susan Blackmore: Memes...
and made a good meme, an effective spreading meme. So that's how the idea came about. It's important to stick with that definition. The whole science of memetics is much maligned,
Video examples
Greening the ghetto -...
populated by poor people of color both hotbeds of cultural innovation think hip-hop and jazz both the waterfront communities that hosts both industries and residents in close proximity to one another in the post Katrina era we have still more in common we're at best ignored and maligned and abused at worse
Video examples
My $500 house in Detroit...
in one of the most maligned cities in the world. If we can do it in Detroit, you can do it wherever you're from, too. What I've learned over the last decade, building my house, wasn't so much about wiring or plumbing or carpentry -- although I did learn these things --
Video examples
Chimamanda Ngozi...
that don't have anything in their libraries, and also of organizing lots and lots of workshops, in reading and writing, for all the people who are eager to tell our many stories. Stories matter. Many stories matter. Stories have been used to dispossess and to malign,
Video examples
How to lead a...
so deeply divided -- when we live in a world in which cousins and aunts and uncles can't talk to one another, when we often live in separate and distinct news ecosystems, and when we reflexively and habitually malign and dismiss those with whom we disagree?
Video examples
How tech companies...
a fitness app can sell your data to a health insurance company, preventing you from getting coverage in the future. All of this is happening in the world today. But of course, not all uses of data are malign. Some are just flawed or need more work,
Video examples
On the Road With Andrew...
was very interesting genre you know it's sort of a malign genre in a certain way with but there's certain when people do it well they can really capture the essence of a moment in time in a place in themselves and in the place so I just
Video examples
Bob Mankoff: Anatomy of...
You glance over at this, and it says, "Asshead. Please help"? God. So there the violation is malign. It doesn't work. There is no such thing as funny in and of itself. Everything will be within the context and our expectations.
Video examples
Dan Barber: A surprising...
The best culinary experience of my life. Because what I saw, I'm convinced, is the future of cooking. Ridiculous, right? Foie gras and the future of cooking. There's not a food today that's more maligned than foie gras, right?
Video examples
3 ways to make better...
it's worth recognizing that you probably already have. That pile of papers on your desk typically maligned as messy and disorganized, a pile of papers is, in fact, perfectly organized --
Video examples
Susan Blackmore: Memes...
and made a good meme, an effective spreading meme. So that's how the idea came about. It's important to stick with that definition. The whole science of memetics is much maligned,
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Dian Fossey
American Scientist
My study of the wild gorilla is not yet finished, and even when it is complete, it will contribute only a small part toward man's understanding of his closest animal relatives, the great apes. But one conclusion is already clear: The gorilla is one of the most maligned animals in the world.
Quote examples
Kirstie Alley
American Actress
When you are generalizing, and when your goal is to malign and to say things about an entire group - there are tens of millions of Scientologists in the world - when you decide to blanket statement that 'Scientology is evil,' you are my enemy.
Quote examples
Anubhav Sinha
Indian Director
Just because 'Mulk' addresses some uncomfortable truths, trolls are having a field day. They say that the film has been funded by Dawood because that's the easiest way to malign it. But I am not affected by such nonsense.
Quote examples
Fred F. Fielding
American Lawyer
The last eight years have created a lot of deep-seated hostility. People take political decisions very personally, and today there is a constant, ongoing attack, with one side or the other being maligned.
Quote examples
Divyanka Tripathi
Indian Actress
There are groups of haters who always try to malign my image. They question my character and make all kinds of false announcements. It hurts because they assume things and without any proof in hand.
Quote examples
Erica Jong
American Novelist
My generation was not only maligned in book reviews and attacked in graduate school but we lived to see our adored and adorable daughters wonder why feminism had become a dirty word.
Quote examples
Ingrid Newkirk
British Activist
Pigeons are among the most maligned urban wildlife despite the fact that human beings brought them to our shores and turned them loose in our cities - not something that they chose.
Quote examples
Matt Gaetz
American Politician
Russia engages in a malign influence campaign all over the world. I would expect that they would try to undermine democracy here just that they - as they have in other places.
Quote examples
Steve Mnuchin
American Public Servant
I have been maligned as taking advantage of others' hardship in order to make a buck. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Quote examples
John Brown Gordon
American General
No people in the history of the world have ever been so misunderstood, so misjudged, and so cruelly maligned.
Quote examples
Dian Fossey
American Scientist
My study of the wild gorilla is not yet finished, and even when it is complete, it will contribute only a small part toward man's understanding of his closest animal relatives, the great apes. But one conclusion is already clear: The gorilla is one of the most maligned animals in the world.
Quote examples
Kirstie Alley
American Actress
When you are generalizing, and when your goal is to malign and to say things about an entire group - there are tens of millions of Scientologists in the world - when you decide to blanket statement that 'Scientology is evil,' you are my enemy.
Quote examples
Anubhav Sinha
Indian Director
Just because 'Mulk' addresses some uncomfortable truths, trolls are having a field day. They say that the film has been funded by Dawood because that's the easiest way to malign it. But I am not affected by such nonsense.
Quote examples
Fred F. Fielding
American Lawyer
The last eight years have created a lot of deep-seated hostility. People take political decisions very personally, and today there is a constant, ongoing attack, with one side or the other being maligned.
Quote examples
Divyanka Tripathi
Indian Actress
There are groups of haters who always try to malign my image. They question my character and make all kinds of false announcements. It hurts because they assume things and without any proof in hand.
Quote examples
Erica Jong
American Novelist
My generation was not only maligned in book reviews and attacked in graduate school but we lived to see our adored and adorable daughters wonder why feminism had become a dirty word.
Quote examples
Ingrid Newkirk
British Activist
Pigeons are among the most maligned urban wildlife despite the fact that human beings brought them to our shores and turned them loose in our cities - not something that they chose.
Quote examples
Matt Gaetz
American Politician
Russia engages in a malign influence campaign all over the world. I would expect that they would try to undermine democracy here just that they - as they have in other places.
Quote examples
Steve Mnuchin
American Public Servant
I have been maligned as taking advantage of others' hardship in order to make a buck. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Quote examples
John Brown Gordon
American General
No people in the history of the world have ever been so misunderstood, so misjudged, and so cruelly maligned.
Example 1 of 10
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