Envy vs. Malice — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Envy and Malice
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Compare with Definitions
Envy
Envy (from Latin invidia) is an emotion which occurs when a person lacks another's superior quality, achievement, or possession and either desires it or wishes that the other lacked it.Aristotle defined envy as pain at the sight of another's good fortune, stirred by "those who have what we ought to have". Bertrand Russell said that envy was one of the most potent causes of unhappiness.
Malice
A desire to harm others or to see others suffer; extreme ill will or spite.
Envy
A feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions, qualities, or luck
She felt a twinge of envy for the people on board
Malice
The intent to commit an unlawful act without justification or excuse.
Envy
Desire to have a quality, possession, or other desirable thing belonging to (someone else)
I envy Jane her happiness
He envied people who did not have to work at the weekends
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Malice
An improper motive for an action, such as desire to cause injury to another.
Envy
A feeling of discontent and resentment aroused by and in conjunction with desire for the possessions or qualities of another. See Usage Note at jealous.
Malice
Intention to harm or deprive in an illegal or immoral way. Desire to take pleasure in another's misfortune.
Envy
The object of such feeling
Their new pool made them the envy of their neighbors.
Malice
An intention to do injury to another party, which in many jurisdictions is a distinguishing factor between the crimes of murder and manslaughter.
Envy
(Obsolete) Malevolence.
Malice
To intend to cause harm; to bear malice.
Envy
To feel envy toward (another person).
Malice
Enmity of heart; malevolence; ill will; a spirit delighting in harm or misfortune to another; a disposition to injure another; a malignant design of evil.
Envy, hatred, and malice are three distinct passions of the mind.
Envy
To regard (something) with envy.
Malice
Any wicked or mischievous intention of the mind; a depraved inclination to mischief; an intention to vex, annoy, or injure another person, or to do a wrongful act without just cause or cause or excuse; a wanton disregard of the rights or safety of others; willfulness.
Proud tyrants who maliciously destroyAnd ride o'er ruins with malignant joy.
In some connections, malignity seems rather more pertinently applied to a radical depravity of nature, and malignancy to indications of this depravity, in temper and conduct in particular instances.
Envy
Resentful desire of something possessed by another or others (but not limited to material possessions).
Malice
To regard with extreme ill will.
Envy
An object of envious notice or feeling.
Malice
Feeling a need to see others suffer
Envy
(obsolete) Hatred, enmity, ill-feeling.
Malice
The quality of threatening evil
Envy
(obsolete) Emulation; rivalry.
Envy
(obsolete) Public odium; ill repute.
Envy
A red-skinned variety of eating apple.
Envy
(transitive) To feel displeasure or hatred towards (someone) for their good fortune or possessions.
Envy
(transitive) To resentfully or discontentedly desire (something someone else has that one lacks).
Envy
To have envious feelings (at).
Envy
To give (something) to (someone) grudgingly or reluctantly; to begrudge.
Envy
(obsolete) To show malice or ill will; to rail.
Envy
(obsolete) To do harm to; to injure; to disparage.
Envy
(obsolete) To hate.
Envy
(obsolete) To emulate.
Envy
Malice; ill will; spite.
If he evade us there,Enforce him with his envy to the people.
Envy
Chagrin, mortification, discontent, or uneasiness at the sight of another's excellence or good fortune, accompanied with some degree of hatred and a desire to possess equal advantages; malicious grudging; - usually followed by of; as, they did this in envy of Cæsar.
Envy is a repining at the prosperity or good of another, or anger and displeasure at any good of another which we want, or any advantage another hath above us.
No blissEnjoyed by us excites his envy more.
Envy, to which the ignoble mind's a slave,Is emulation in the learned or brave.
Envy
Emulation; rivalry.
Such as cleanliness and decencyPrompt to a virtuous envy.
Envy
Public odium; ill repute.
To lay the envy of the war upon Cicero.
Envy
An object of envious notice or feeling.
This constitution in former days used to be the envy of the world.
Envy
To feel envy at or towards; to be envious of; to have a feeling of uneasiness or mortification in regard to (any one), arising from the sight of another's excellence or good fortune and a longing to possess it.
A woman does not envy a man for his fighting courage, nor a man a woman for her beauty.
Whoever envies another confesses his superiority.
Envy
To feel envy on account of; to have a feeling of grief or repining, with a longing to possess (some excellence or good fortune of another, or an equal good fortune, etc.); to look with grudging upon; to begrudge.
I have seen thee fight,When I have envied thy behavior.
Jeffrey . . . had actually envied his friends their cool mountain breezes.
Envy
To long after; to desire strongly; to covet.
Or climb his knee the envied kiss to share.
Envy
To do harm to; to injure; to disparage.
If I make a lieTo gain your love and envy my best mistress,Put me against a wall.
Envy
To hate.
Envy
To emulate.
Envy
To be filled with envious feelings; to regard anything with grudging and longing eyes; - used especially with at.
Who would envy at the prosperity of the wicked?
Envy
To show malice or ill will; to rail.
Envy
A feeling of grudging admiration and desire to have something possessed by another
Envy
Spite and resentment at seeing the success of another (personified as one of the deadly sins)
Envy
Feel envious towards; admire enviously
Envy
Be envious of; set one's heart on
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