böswillig
maliciously
So, dass jemand absichtlich etwas Gemeines oder Schlechtes tun oder sagen will.
Definition & Meaning
The adjective böswillig describes a person or an action characterized by the intent to cause harm, injury, or distress to others. It implies a malicious or spiteful motivation.
- Malicious or spiteful: Refers to behavior driven by a desire to see someone else suffer or to cause damage intentionally.
- Legal context: In German law (böswilliges Verlassen), it refers to the intentional and unjustified abandonment of a spouse or domestic duty without the intent to return.
Grammar & Word origin
The word is a compound adjective formed from two parts:
- böse: meaning "bad," "evil," or "wicked."
- willig: meaning "willing" (from Wille, "will").
Literally, it means "having an evil will" or "willing to do evil." It is declined according to standard German adjective rules (e.g., ein böswilliger Mensch, eine böswillige Unterstellung).
Synonyms & antonyms
Synonyms:
- boshaft (malicious/spiteful)
- gehässig (hateful/spiteful)
- niederträchtig (vile/mean-spirited)
- schadenfroh (gleeful about others' misfortune)
- bösartig (vicious/malignant)
Antonyms:
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Examples
Er hat böswillig gelacht.adjective
He laughed maliciously.
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