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Baleful vs Malign - What's the difference?

baleful | malign |

As adjectives the difference between baleful and malign

is that baleful is portending evil; ominous while malign is evil or malignant in disposition, nature, intent or influence.

As a verb malign is

to make defamatory statements about; to slander or traduce.

baleful

English

Alternative forms

* balefull (archaic)

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Portending evil; ominous.
  • * 1674 -- John Milton: )
    • round he throws his baleful eyes, that witnessed huge affliction and dismay.
  • * 1873 ,
    • The street-lamps burn amid the baleful glooms,
    Amidst the soundless solitudes immense
    Of ranged mansions dark and still as tombs.
  • Miserable, wretched, distressed, suffering.

    • malign

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • evil or malignant in disposition, nature, intent or influence.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • Witchcraft may be by operation of malign spirits.
  • malevolent.
  • * 1891 -
    • He was sure they [the stars] were arranged in some order which had a secret and malign significance.
  • (oncology) malignant
    • a malign ulcer
    (Francis Bacon)

    Related terms

    * malignant

    Antonyms

    * benign

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make defamatory statements about; to slander or traduce.
  • * South
    • To be envied and shot at; to be maligned standing, and to be despised falling.
  • (archaic) To treat with malice; to show hatred toward; to abuse; to wrong.
  • * Spenser
    • The people practice what mischiefs and villainies they will against private men, whom they malign by stealing their goods, or murdering them.

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Anagrams

    * * English transitive verbs