B2 — Upper Intermediateadjective
malvagio
wicked, evil, malicious
Synonyms (≈ similar meaning)
cattivocrudeleperfidoempiomalintenzionato
Antonyms (≠ opposite meaning)
buonovirtuosobenevoloonestoretto
Usage note
'Malvagio' is literary/strong (evil, wicked). 'Cattivo' is everyday (bad/unkind but less strong than malvagio). 'Perfido' implies treacherous wickedness. 'Empio' is religious (impious, ungodly). 'Malintenzionato' means ill-intentioned. 'Benevolo' (antonym) means benevolent.
Example
"Nessuno nasce malvagio: sono le circostanze a formare il carattere."
"Nobody is born wicked: it is circumstances that shape character."
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