What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
malign
Example
He was accused of maligning his former colleague in public. [malign: verb]
Example
The doctor found a malign tumor in her lung. [malign: adjective]
vilify
Example
The politician was vilified by the media for his controversial remarks. [vilified: past participle]
Example
The company launched a smear campaign to vilify its competitor. [vilify: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Malign is less common than vilify in everyday language. Malign is more commonly used in medical contexts, while vilify is more commonly used in social and political contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between malign and vilify?
Vilify is generally considered more formal than malign. It is often used in legal or political contexts to describe deliberate attempts to harm someone's reputation.
