villainous

adjective

vil·​lain·​ous ˈvi-lə-nəs How to pronounce villainous (audio)
1
a
: befitting a villain (as in evil or depraved character)
a villainous attack
b
: being or having the character of a villain : depraved
the villainous foe
2
: highly objectionable : wretched
villainously adverb
villainousness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for villainous

vicious, villainous, iniquitous, nefarious, corrupt, degenerate mean highly reprehensible or offensive in character, nature, or conduct.

vicious may directly oppose virtuous in implying moral depravity, or may connote malignancy, cruelty, or destructive violence.

a vicious gangster

villainous applies to any evil, depraved, or vile conduct or characteristic.

a villainous assault

iniquitous implies absence of all signs of justice or fairness.

an iniquitous system of taxation

nefarious suggests flagrant breaching of time-honored laws and traditions of conduct.

the nefarious rackets of organized crime

corrupt stresses a loss of moral integrity or probity causing betrayal of principle or sworn obligations.

city hall was rife with corrupt politicians

degenerate suggests having sunk to an especially vicious or enervated condition.

a degenerate regime propped up by foreign powers

Examples of villainous in a Sentence

villainous behavior that made him one of the most notorious figures in history and gave rise to the legend of Dracula
Recent Examples on the Web The move to Arrakis goes catastrophically wrong; many members of House Atreides are murdered by their enemies, most notably the pallid, villainous House Harkonnen, and Paul’s father dies. Manohla Dargis, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024 In a stark contrast from his award-winning Elvis performance, Butler’s new gig required a villainous transformation into the cruel Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, one of Dune‘s antagonists. Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 27 Feb. 2024 Everyone in this family is secretive and that includes the other villainous siblings who would like to control the conglomerate. Joan MacDonald, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 At one point in the new sci-fi sequel, Butler's villainous and sadistic character Feyd-Rautha receives a promotion of sorts from his uncle, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Skarsgård). Benjamin Vanhoose, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024 The Swedish actor enjoyed villainous turns in movies like Straw Dogs and Melancholia (2011). Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 31 Jan. 2024 The sequel to Zack Snyder's holiday-season streaming sci-fi hit finds ex-soldier Kora (Sofia Boutella) and her rebel crew dealing with complicated pasts and defending their home from vengeful military man Atticus Noble (Ed Skrein) and the villainous Imperium. Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2024 Josh Brolin might reprise his villainous role in the Deadpool franchise later this year. Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 20 Feb. 2024 Now, Krumholtz has his sights set on another Fantastic Four character: the villainous Mole Man, who served as the antagonist in the super quartet’s very first comic book issue in 1961. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'villainous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of villainous was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near villainous

Cite this Entry

“Villainous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/villainous. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

villainous

adjective
vil·​lain·​ous ˈvil-ə-nəs How to pronounce villainous (audio)
1
: typical of a villain
villainous attacks
also : wicked
a villainous enemy
2
: very objectionable
villainous living conditions
villainously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on villainous

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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