Word

malignant

adjective C1

/məˈlɪɡnənt/

Meanings

adjective

(of a tumor or disease) cancerous and able to invade nearby tissue or spread to other parts of the body

adjective

extremely harmful, hostile, or destructive in influence or intent

Definition

Malignant describes something very harmful, especially a serious disease or an intensely hostile influence.

Malignant most commonly describes a tumor or disease that is cancerous and likely to spread. It can also describe a person, attitude, or force that is deeply harmful, hostile, and destructive. In both uses, it suggests danger that grows or causes serious damage if not addressed.

Examples

The biopsy confirmed that the growth was malignant, so the team moved quickly to plan treatment.
I could sense a malignant mood spreading through the group as small disagreements turned into open hostility.
She refused to let a malignant rumor define her, even when it seemed to dominate the conversation.
They traced the project’s collapse to a malignant pattern of blame and secrecy that poisoned collaboration.

Common mistake

Learners often confuse malignant with benign, but malignant means harmful or cancerous, while benign means not harmful or non-cancerous.