as in villain
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person
he plays the role of the duplicitous knave who tries to foil the play's hero
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of knave
Try for yourselves, ye witless knaves— Take each to bed your Sally!
—
Ann Manov,
Harpers Magazine,
23 June 2026
Many a knave is rich, sleek, and honored, while the just man is poor, hated, and in torment.
—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
How does history distinguish knaves from legendary figures?
—
W.e. Gutman,
Sun Sentinel,
8 July 2025
The modern health insurer is regarded as either a knave or a pawn and is seldom regarded as a knight.
—
Sachin H. Jain,
Forbes,
20 Dec. 2024
Ann Manov,
Harpers Magazine,
23 June 2026
Many a knave is rich, sleek, and honored, while the just man is poor, hated, and in torment.
—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
How does history distinguish knaves from legendary figures?
—
W.e. Gutman,
Sun Sentinel,
8 July 2025
The modern health insurer is regarded as either a knave or a pawn and is seldom regarded as a knight.
—
Sachin H. Jain,
Forbes,
20 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knave
Noun
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Together, the band brings to life a mythic world of ancient heroes and villains, attracting an excited audience of headbangers and fantasy fanatics, many of whom show up in costume.
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The performance earned her the award for best villain at the 2003 MTV Movie Awards.
Noun
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Shinnecock was still a brute of a test, but the red numbers on the white scoreboard were an unfamiliar site for this course.
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These brutes commonly exceed 50 pounds.
Noun
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Also called devil's snare, the plant's seeds, roots, stems, and leaves are all dangerous if ingested.
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Beloved baby brother, American [WWII bronze star veteran], husband, father of 4 strong women, [grandpa], adorable scamp, handsome devil, and trickster to the end.
Noun
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Or will the monsters get in their way?
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Making matters worse, Christophe has a spinal condition that requires him to wear a massive metal back brace 24/7, turning him into a pre-teen metal monster.
Noun
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Ditto Hugh Jackman’s unerring performance — perhaps his finest dramatic work yet — as a savage, unfeeling thug and unrepentant murderer and thief.
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This savage, amoral and unfeeling Robin Hood has been written to invert everything modern fans like about him.
Noun
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Star Wars Outlaws on Switch 2 drops you into the galaxy’s underworld as Kay Vess, a scoundrel trying to pull off the biggest heist in the Outer Rim.
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But that just reinforces Samuel Johnson’s adage that patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.
Cite this Entry
“Knave.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knave. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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