RobG
Well-known member
vi·cious
ˈviSHəs/Submit
adjective
1.
deliberately cruel or violent.
"a vicious assault"
synonyms: brutal, ferocious, savage, violent, dangerous, ruthless, remorseless, merciless, heartless, callous, cruel, harsh, cold-blooded, inhuman, fierce, barbarous, barbaric, brutish, bloodthirsty, fiendish, sadistic, monstrous, murderous, homicidal;
I guess is depends on which synonym you choose to apply as the meaning.
con·no·ta·tion
ˌkänəˈtāSH(ə)n/
noun
noun: connotation; plural noun: connotations
an idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning.