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Definition of malign

malign

/məˈlaɪn/
ma · lign
Adverb:malignly
•
Adjective:malignant
•
Past Simple:maligned
•
Past Participle:maligned
•
Present Participle:maligning
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malign Lexical Profile

malign Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To speak about someone in a spitefully critical or slanderous manner.

Example

"The candidate promised to focus on policy solutions rather than maligning her political opponents."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for malign
Antonyms
View all antonyms for malign

• adjective

1

Evil in nature, intent, or effect; injurious or malevolent.

Example

"Historians have long debated the extent of the advisor's malign influence over the royal court."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for malign
Antonyms
View all antonyms for malign

Word Nuance & Usage

The 'g' in 'malign' is silent (/məˈlaɪn/), though it is pronounced in related derivatives such as 'malignant' and 'malignancy'.

• Rhymes for malign

• Nearby Words

malicious
maliciously
maliciousness
malign
malignancy
malignant
malignantly

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in Middle English via Old French from Latin 'malignus' (wicked, malicious), derived from 'malus' (bad) and the root of 'gignere' (to beget or produce), literally meaning 'ill-born' or 'of an evil nature'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Malign. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/malign
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