malice implies a deep-seated often unexplainable desire to see another suffer.
felt no malice toward their former enemies
malevolence suggests a bitter persistent hatred that is likely to be expressed in malicious conduct.
a look of dark malevolence
ill will implies a feeling of antipathy of limited duration.
ill will provoked by a careless remark
spite implies petty feelings of envy and resentment that are often expressed in small harassments.
petty insults inspired by spite
malignity implies deep passion and relentlessness.
a life consumed by motiveless malignity
spleen suggests the wrathful release of latent spite or persistent malice.
venting his spleen against politicians
grudge implies a harbored feeling of resentment or ill will that seeks satisfaction.
never one to harbor a grudge
Examples of ill will in a Sentence
We bear no ill will toward each other.
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There has been an awful lot of water under the bridge since then — and a lot of ill will between the clubs at boardroom level — but there was always a degree of respect between Guardiola and Klopp and, the odd flare-up aside, between the two sets of players.—Oliver Kay, The Athletic, 23 Feb. 2025 Jinger Duggar Vuolo doesn’t hold any ill will towards her parents for her religious upbringing.—Stephanie Wenger, People.com, 12 Feb. 2025 Meta reportedly used a Republican lobbying firm to spread ill will toward TikTok in 2022.—Kalhan Rosenblatt, NBC News, 14 Jan. 2025 Kirk Cousins has no ill will in this building toward anybody or with anybody.—Josh Kendall, The Athletic, 26 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for ill will
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