villain

noun

vil·​lain ˈvi-lən 

1

: a character in a story or play who opposes the hero

2

: a deliberate scoundrel or criminal

3

: one blamed for a particular evil or difficulty

automation as the villain in job … displacement

—M. H. Goldberg

4

: villein

5

: an uncouth person : boor

Synonyms

• brute
• monster
• devil
• criminal
• savage
• offender
• beast
• scoundrel
• bandit
• assassin

Examples of villain in a Sentence

He plays the villain in most of his movies.

She describes her first husband as a villain who treated her terribly.

Don't try to make me the villain. It's your own fault that you're having these problems.

Recent Examples on the Web

Currently, Wiig is in her villain era. —Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 4 Oct. 2025

With Ka-young’s help, Iblis is able to destroy the Flower of Eternal Life, which had allowed Khalid to live forever (at least until this point), and the villain fades to dust. —Kayti Burt, Time, 3 Oct. 2025

In the Henchmen's Heist room, participants have been hired by a super villain to break into a high security superhero lair and steal valuable assets before the hero returns. —Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 3 Oct. 2025

Plus, Jeremiah had to still be winded by busting out that extended dance remix of his maniacal villain laugh from back on the beach. —Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English vilain, vilein, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin villanus, from Latin villa

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Rhymes for villain

• millon
• amoxicillin
• carbenicillin
• haematoxylin
• ampicillin
• methicillin
• penicillin
• pyroxylin
• vanillin

Kids Definition

villain

noun

vil·​lain ˈvil-ən 

1

: villein

2

: an evil person : scoundrel

3

: a character in a story or play who opposes the hero