adj
vicious
VIH-shuhs
adj
1
Deliberately cruel, violent, or savage.
"The dog launched a vicious attack on the mail carrier."
"She was the target of a vicious rumour campaign."
How to Use Vicious
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCruel and aggressive, often violently so.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "viscous," which describes a thick, sticky liquid — the words are unrelated despite the similar spelling.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
vicious attack
vicious cycle
vicious rumour
Word Forms
more vicious comparative, viciouser comparative, most vicious superlative, viciousest superlative
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The dog launched a _____ attack on the mail carrier.
Etymology
From Latin vitiosus, "faulty, corrupt," from vitium, "fault, vice."