with evil intent

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "with evil intent" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe actions or behaviors that are motivated by malicious or harmful purposes. Example: "The defendant was found guilty of committing the crime with evil intent, demonstrating a clear disregard for the well-being of others."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

They were surprisingly normal eyes, greyish blue, clear, guileless, not orbs glittering with evil intent.

The Guardian - Books

"Although not imbued with evil intent the posting amounted to bullying," the coroner said.

The Guardian

The prosecutor had already called Manning a "traitor" and, of all things, an "anarchist" who gave the video, along with hundreds of thousands of battlefield reports and State Department cables, to WikiLeaks with "evil intent".

The New Yorker

TODAY'S recommended economics writing: Central bank independence, transparency, and accountability (Ben Bernanke) Chinese state organ warns of agricultural speculators who hoard with "evil intent" (FT beyondbrics) Is there a general glut?

The Economist

In fact, many people subscribed to what criminologists call the alien conspiracy theory of organized crime — the idea, as Finckenauer puts it, that "Southern Italians came to us with evil intent to create criminal enterprise on our shores".

The New Yorker

I was mesmerised by his depictions of a world parallel to ours, of frock-coated cybernetists experimenting with geometries – at once cosmically phenomenological and just a tad Mad Max, but never with evil intent.

The Guardian - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

They couldn't have grimaced with more evil intent if they'd been auditioning for a thriller in which the entire Academy gets murdered by two disgruntled thespians.

The Guardian

If Eichmann was, as Arendt asserted, a bland and "thoughtless" functionary who organized deportations with no evil intent but, rather, just to follow orders, then his crime would be no greater than that of Jews who worked under his command and were merely following his orders.

The New Yorker

"They've done this on the Internet and out in public, openly and secretly, inventing unfounded accusations with the evil intent of staining Xinjiang's image, grossly interfering in China's internal affairs and baselessly criticizing the Chinese government," he said.

The Washington Post

On the other hand, the truth may be printed and published maliciously, and with an evil intent, and for no good purpose, and when it would be productive only of private misery, and public scandal and disgrace.

University of Chicago

But in acquitting him of the most serious charge, aiding the enemy, Judge Lind seems to have disagreed with the prosecution's claim that the 25-year-old soldier had leaked the material with "general evil intent".

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing legal or criminal contexts, use "with evil intent" to emphasize a deliberate and malicious motive behind an action. This adds a layer of severity and culpability to the description.

Common error

Refrain from using "with evil intent" in trivial or mundane situations. The phrase carries a strong connotation of malice, and its use should be reserved for situations where genuine malevolence is present. Overusing it can dilute its impact and make your writing sound melodramatic.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "with evil intent" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb, adjective, or clause. It specifies the manner in which an action is performed, indicating that the action is carried out with a malicious or harmful purpose. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase describes behaviors motivated by harmful purposes.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "with evil intent" is a common and grammatically correct adverbial phrase used to describe actions motivated by malice or harmful purposes. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English for detailing behaviors driven by malicious intent. Predominantly found in news media and academic contexts, its purpose is to emphasize the culpability of an actor and the severity of their actions. While alternatives like "with malicious purpose" or "with sinister motive" exist, it's crucial to reserve this strong expression for situations where genuine malevolence is evident to avoid diluting its impact. When used appropriately, "with evil intent" effectively conveys a deliberate and malicious motive, particularly in legal or criminal contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

with malicious purpose

Replaces intent with purpose and evil with malicious, emphasizing the harmful motivation.

with malevolent design

Substitutes intent with design and evil with malevolent, highlighting a sinister plan.

with sinister motive

Replaces intent with motive and evil with sinister, suggesting a dark underlying reason.

with nefarious scheme

Changes intent to scheme and evil to nefarious, emphasizing a wicked and unlawful plan.

with wicked aim

Replaces intent with aim and evil with wicked, focusing on the immoral goal.

with harmful intention

Substitutes evil with harmful and inverts the order, highlighting the damaging aim.

with destructive purpose

Replaces evil with destructive and intent with purpose, underscoring the ruinous goal.

with vile objective

Substitutes evil with vile and intent with objective, emphasizing the despicable aim.

with malicious motivations

Replaces intent with motivations and evil with malicious, specifying the harmful underlying reasons.

with malignant aspirations

Replaces intent with aspirations and evil with malignant, focusing on the harmful long-term goals.

FAQs

How can I use "with evil intent" in a sentence?

Use "with evil intent" to describe actions driven by malice or harmful purposes. For example: "The crime was committed with evil intent, showing a clear disregard for human life."

What phrases are similar to "with evil intent"?

Alternatives include "with malicious purpose", "with sinister motive", or "with nefarious scheme", which emphasize different aspects of malicious motivation.

Is it appropriate to use "with evil intent" in formal writing?

Yes, it is appropriate in formal writing, especially when describing legal or criminal contexts where deliberate malice is a key factor. However, ensure the context genuinely warrants such a strong expression.

What's the difference between "with evil intent" and "with bad intent"?

"With evil intent" suggests a deeper level of malice and a desire to cause significant harm, whereas "with bad intent" may imply a more general, less severe form of wrongdoing.