supervillain
noun
su·per·vil·lain
ˈsü-pər-ˌvi-lən 
plural supervillains
: a fictional villain having extraordinary or superhuman powers
In more recent years, [Jon] Cryer appeared as legendary supervillain Lex Luthor in the CW drama Supergirl.—
Martin Holmens
Martin Holmens… the issue will feature Spider-Man facing off against the Sinister Six, which includes supervillains Doctor Octopus, Vulture, Mysterio, Sandman, Electro and Kraven the Hunter …—Jeremy Childs
Jeremy Childs
also
: a person or entity likened to a supervillain
On the show, [Elon] Musk suggests there is a "fast way and a slow way" to raise the temperatures of Mars before sharing the fast way is to "drop thermonuclear weapons over the poles." The idea is greeted by [Stephen] Colbert calling Musk a supervillain, to which Musk just casually responds, "Yeah." —AJ Dellinger
compare superhero, superheroine
AJ Dellinger Examples of supervillain in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The film begins in a world where the League has been missing for months, with various supervillains — Brainiac, the Joker, Harley Quinn, Solomon Grundy, Giganta, and even General Zod, Non, and Ursa — taking over Metropolis in their absence.
—Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Sep. 2025
Like a super-weapon developed by a stereotypical supervillain, this new dark matter detector is hidden over a mile deep beneath the French Alps.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Edelstein's had a long-running career in voice acting, with gigs on series such as American Dad (2007–2011) and The Legend of Korra (2013–2014) and a long spell voicing supervillain Mercy Graves in the DC Animated Universe (1995–2005).
—Allison Degrushe Published, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
In these tales, CO2 often seems less like a mute, inert molecule and more like an evil supervillain—a malevolent force that has been plotting for centuries to wreak havoc on our planet and ruin our lives.
—Lee Billings, Scientific American, 21 Aug. 2025
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Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 6 Sep. 2025
Like a super-weapon developed by a stereotypical supervillain, this new dark matter detector is hidden over a mile deep beneath the French Alps.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Edelstein's had a long-running career in voice acting, with gigs on series such as American Dad (2007–2011) and The Legend of Korra (2013–2014) and a long spell voicing supervillain Mercy Graves in the DC Animated Universe (1995–2005).
—Allison Degrushe Published, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
In these tales, CO2 often seems less like a mute, inert molecule and more like an evil supervillain—a malevolent force that has been plotting for centuries to wreak havoc on our planet and ruin our lives.
—Lee Billings, Scientific American, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for supervillain
Cite this Entry
“Supervillain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supervillain. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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