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

After over a decade as a villain to the Avengers, Simon ultimately turns over a new leaf and becomes a longstanding member of the team. —Wilson Chapman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2025

The tournaments pit heroes like Liu Kang, Raiden, and Sonya Blade against such villains as Shang Tsung, Shao Kahn, and Scorpion. —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2025

The Invincible team gathered at New York Comic Con Friday evening to reveal Lee Pace (Foundation, the Hobbit movies, Running Man) as the mystery actor cast in the role of Thragg, a fan-favorite villain of Robert Kirkman's comic books. —Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Oct. 2025

Yet, while Hedda is decidedly not a hero, DaCosta also refuses to paint her as a villain. —Literary Hub, 10 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