Advanced and Proficiency Vocabulary for Exams(e.g.GRE, Banks, Civil Services, SAT / LSAT). For IELTS/TOEFL, and everyday spoken vocabulary, go to our Spoken Vocabulary Database.
vicious | viciously
marked by violence or the intention to hurt
- How to Memorize
- vicious - ferocious
- Analysis
The word ‘vicious’ is commonly used to describe an attack by somebody or something that is characterized by high aggression and the intention to inflict serious harm. However, its use is not limited to physical assault. A person who verbally attacks another with the same intensity can also be classed as vicious.
- Synonym
- Antonym
- Example(s)
The things Sarah said to me were unnecessary and cruel. She can be quite vicious when she wants to be.
I was viciously attacked by a dog as I walked home from work yesterday and had to get 30 stitches.
The crime was committed with a degree of viciousness that made reading about it quite unsettling.
