Meaning & use
vicious
Deliberately cruel, violent, or aggressive in a way that causes harm or suffering.
See it in a sentence
The vicious dog lunged at the fence whenever a stranger walked past.
Reviewers were vicious about the sequel, calling it a lazy cash grab.
A note on using this word
Vicious can describe physical violence or harsh criticism; a 'vicious circle' extends the word to a self-worsening chain of problems.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
gentlekind
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “vicious”, then compare your use with the examples above.
Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.