What does malicious mean?
Malicious is an adjective describing conduct, intentions, or digital content intended to harm other people, damage property, deceive users, or compromise systems. The word is strongly negative: a malicious act is not merely accidental or careless but suggests deliberate bad intent. It is frequently applied to remarks and behaviour, as in malicious gossip, and to computer activity, including malicious code, malware, and malicious links. In everyday use, malicious can also suggest cruelty, spite, or a desire to cause trouble, while legal and technical contexts tend to emphasize illegality or deliberate interference with systems. Its word family includes the noun malice and the adverb maliciously. Because the term is commonly encountered in discussions of fraud, harassment, and cybersecurity, understanding it helps distinguish intentional wrongdoing from ordinary mistakes or unfortunate outcomes.
adjectiveCharacterized by intent to harm, deceive, or damage another person or their interests. It may describe hostile actions, cruel intentions, or content designed to cause harm.
- Characterized by hostility, spite, or a deliberate wish to cause harm to others or their interests.
"The company discovered malicious code embedded in one of its software updates."
"She filed a police report after receiving malicious messages from an anonymous user."
"The email contained a malicious link designed to steal the recipient's banking details."
Malicious can describe both a cruel intention and software designed to infiltrate, damage, or exploit a system.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does malicious come from?
The word entered English from Anglo-French and Old French forms related to Latin malitia, meaning “malice” or “ill will.” It ultimately derives from Latin malus, meaning “bad” or “evil,” the same broad source that also underlies related English words such as malice, malevolent, and malefactor. The adjective meaning “full of malice” or “intended to cause harm” developed through the medieval period and became established in modern English.
Related word forms
How malicious is actually used
Malicious is strongly negative and is commonly used for intentional harm, deception, or wrongdoing. In technology and security contexts, it is a standard term for software or activity intended to cause damage or gain unauthorized access.
Easily confused with malicious
Malicious describes harmful intent or behavior, whereas malign is more often a verb meaning to speak harmfully about someone or something.
Malicious is the more common everyday adjective, while malevolent more formally describes a persistent wish to cause harm.