antihero

noun

an·​ti·​he·​ro ˈan-tē-ˌhē-(ˌ)rō How to pronounce antihero (audio) ˈan-ˌtī- How to pronounce antihero (audio)
-ˌhir-(ˌ)ō
plural antiheroes
: a protagonist or notable figure who is conspicuously lacking in heroic qualities
antiheroic
ˌan-tē-hi-ˈrō-ik
ˌan-ˌtī- How to pronounce antihero (audio)
adjective

Examples of antihero in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The network had long built its identity on adult prestige — crime sagas, antiheroes and sprawling family epics — not stories centered on high schoolers. Precious Fondren, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2026 Arjona played Martine Bancroft, the love interest to Jared Leto’s antihero Morbius, in the film of the same name from Sony, and had been rumored for the role of Wonder Woman in the DCU. Matt Grobar, Deadline, 8 Apr. 2026 Instead of a lean eight-episode binge drop and a moody antihero, the medical drama rolls out 15-episode seasons, one a week, full of lofty ideals and heroic characters fighting the good fight. Jennifer Silverman, Rolling Stone, 7 Apr. 2026 Think of Rabbit Angstrom, the antihero of a four-novel series by John Updike—each volume written a decade apart, as the former high-school-basketball phenom witnesses, and experiences, the decline of the middle-class American dream. Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 3 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for antihero

Word History

First Known Use

1714, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of antihero was in 1714

Cite this Entry

“Antihero.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/antihero. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.

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