Malicious vs. Mean — What's the Difference?

Characterized by malice. motivated by spite.

Unkind, spiteful, or unfair.

Deliberately harmful. spiteful.

Inconsiderate and harsh.

Intending or intended to do harm.

Characterized by petty ill will or hatred.

Involving malice. deliberate harm-doing.

Showing a lack of generosity or kindness. miserly.

Actively harmful or injurious.

Petty or small-minded.

Characterized by malice; intending or intended to do harm

There are several kinds of mean in mathematics, especially in statistics: For a data set, the arithmetic mean, also known as average or arithmetic average, is a central value of a finite set of numbers: specifically, the sum of the values divided by the number of values. The arithmetic mean of a set of numbers x1, x2, ..., xn is typically denoted by x ¯ {\displaystyle {\bar {x}}} .

Having the nature of or resulting from malice; deliberately harmful; spiteful

Intend to convey or refer to (a particular thing); signify

(Law) Done with malice.

Intend (something) to occur or be the case

Intending to do harm; characterized by spite and malice.

Have as a consequence or result

Indulging or exercising malice; harboring ill will or enmity.

Unwilling to give or share things, especially money; not generous

Proceeding from hatred or ill will; dictated by malice; as, a malicious report; malicious mischief.

Unkind, spiteful, or unfair

With wicked or mischievous intentions or motives; wrongful and done intentionally without just cause or excuse; as, a malicious act.

(especially of a place) poor in quality and appearance; shabby

Having the nature of or resulting from malice;

Very skilful or effective; excellent

Wishing or appearing to wish evil to others; arising from intense ill will or hatred;

(of a quantity) calculated as a mean; average

Equally far from two extremes

The value obtained by dividing the sum of several quantities by their number; an average

A condition, quality, or course of action equally removed from two opposite extremes

To be used to convey; denote

To act as a symbol of; signify or represent

To intend to convey or indicate

To have as a purpose or an intention; intend

To design, intend, or destine for a certain purpose or end

To have as a consequence; bring about

To have the importance or value of

To have intentions of a specified kind; be disposed

Lacking in kindness; unkind

Cruel, spiteful, or malicious

Expressing spite or malice

Tending toward or characterized by cruelty or violence

Extremely unpleasant or disagreeable

Ignoble; base

Occupying a middle or intermediate position between two extremes.

Intermediate in size, extent, quality, time, or degree; medium.

Something having a position, quality, or condition midway between extremes; a medium.

A number that typifies a set of numbers, such as a geometric mean or an arithmetic mean.

The average value of a set of numbers.

(Logic) The middle term in a syllogism.

Means (used with a sing. or pl. verb) A method, a course of action, or an instrument by which an act can be accomplished or an end achieved.

Money, property, or other wealth

Great wealth

To intend.

(transitive) To intend, to plan (to do); to have as one's intention.

(intransitive) To have as intentions of a given kind.

To intend (something) for a given purpose or fate; to predestine.

(transitive) To intend an ensuing comment or statement as an explanation.[https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/i_mean%20I%20mean]

To convey (a meaning).

(transitive) To convey (a given sense); to signify, or indicate (an object or idea).

(transitive) Of a word, symbol etc: to have reference to, to signify.

(transitive) Of a person (or animal etc): to intend to express, to imply, to hint at, to allude.

(transitive) To have conviction in (something said or expressed); to be sincere in (what one says).

(transitive) To cause or produce (a given result); to bring about (a given result).

(usually with to) To be of some level of importance.

To lament.

(obsolete) Common; general.

Of a common or low origin, grade, or quality; common; humble.

Low in quality or degree; inferior; poor; shabby.

Without dignity of mind; destitute of honour; low-minded; spiritless; base.

Of little value or worth; worthy of little or no regard; contemptible; despicable.

Ungenerous; stingy; tight-fisted.

Disobliging; pettily offensive or unaccommodating.

Intending to cause harm, successfully or otherwise; bearing ill will towards another.

Powerful; fierce; strong.

(colloquial) Accomplished with great skill; deft; hard to compete with.

Difficult, tricky.

Having the mean (see noun below) as its value; average.

(obsolete) Middling; intermediate; moderately good, tolerable.

A method or course of action used to achieve some result.

An intermediate step or intermediate steps.

Something which is intermediate or in the middle; an intermediate value or range of values; a medium.

The middle part of three-part polyphonic music; now specifically, the alto part in polyphonic music; an alto instrument.

(statistics) The average of a set of values, calculated by summing them together and dividing by the number of terms; the arithmetic mean.

(mathematics) Any function of multiple variables that satisfies certain properties and yields a number representative of its arguments; or, the number so yielded; a measure of central tendency.

(mathematics) Either of the two numbers in the middle of a conventionally presented proportion, as 2 and 3 in 1:2=3:6.

To have in the mind, as a purpose, intention, etc.; to intend; to purpose; to design; as, what do you mean to do?

To signify; to indicate; to import; to denote.

To have a purpose or intention.

Destitute of distinction or eminence; common; low; vulgar; humble.

Wanting dignity of mind; low-minded; base; destitute of honor; spiritless; as, a mean motive.

Of little value or account; worthy of little or no regard; contemptible; despicable.

Of poor quality; as, mean fare.

Penurious; stingy; close-fisted; illiberal; as, mean hospitality.

Occupying a middle position; middle; being about midway between extremes.

Intermediate in excellence of any kind.

Average; having an intermediate value between two extremes, or between the several successive values of a variable quantity during one cycle of variation; as, mean distance; mean motion; mean solar day.

That which is mean, or intermediate, between two extremes of place, time, or number; the middle point or place; middle rate or degree; mediocrity; medium; absence of extremes or excess; moderation; measure.

A quantity having an intermediate value between several others, from which it is derived, and of which it expresses the resultant value; usually, unless otherwise specified, it is the simple average, formed by adding the quantities together and dividing by their number, which is called an arithmetical mean. A geometrical mean is the nth root of the product of the n quantities being averaged.

That through which, or by the help of which, an end is attained; something tending to an object desired; intermediate agency or measure; necessary condition or coagent; instrument.

Resources; property, revenue, or the like, considered as the condition of easy livelihood, or an instrumentality at command for effecting any purpose; disposable force or substance.

A part, whether alto or tenor, intermediate between the soprano and base; a middle part.

Meantime; meanwhile.

An average of n numbers computed by adding some function of the numbers and dividing by some function of n

Mean or intend to express or convey;

Have as a logical consequence;

Denote or connote;

Have in mind as a purpose;

Have a specified degree of importance;

Intend to refer to;

Destine or designate for a certain purpose;

Approximating the statistical norm or average or expected value;

Characterized by malice;

Having or showing an ignoble lack of honor or morality;

Excellent;

Marked by poverty befitting a beggar;

Used of persons or behavior; characterized by or indicative of lack of generosity;

Used of sums of money; so small in amount as to deserve contempt

Being mean involves unkindness or cruelty that is apparent and affects others negatively.

Yes, someone can be mean without the deeper intent to cause serious harm, often acting out of rudeness or insensitivity.

Yes, maliciousness is often concealed until the intended harm is inflicted.

Malicious behavior can lead to serious personal, professional, and legal consequences.

Mean behavior might not always be intentional; it can result from thoughtlessness or emotional impulsiveness.

A malicious act is defined by its intent to cause harm or distress, often involving deceit.

Both can damage relationships, but malicious behavior is likely to have longer-lasting and more severe effects.

Factors include revenge, jealousy, strategic gain, or deep-seated resentment.

Examples include making rude remarks, displaying overt selfishness, or acting inconsiderately.

While challenging, with appropriate intervention and willingness, individuals can change these behaviors.