What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
maleficial
Example
The company's maleficial practices led to a decline in their reputation. [maleficial: adjective]
Example
The use of pesticides has been found to be maleficial to the environment. [maleficial: adjective]
malicious
Example
The malicious rumors spread about her caused a lot of emotional distress. [malicious: adjective]
Example
He acted in a malicious way towards his former business partner. [malicious: adverb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Malicious is more commonly used than maleficial in everyday language. Malicious is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while maleficial is less common and may be restricted to more technical or specialized fields.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between maleficial and malicious?
While both words have negative connotations, maleficial may sound more formal or technical due to its less frequent usage. Malicious is more versatile and can be employed in various formality levels, allowing it to be used in both formal and informal contexts.
