villainy

noun

vil·​lainy ˈvi-lə-nē How to pronounce villainy (audio)
plural villainies
1
: villainous conduct
also : a villainous act
2
: the quality or state of being villainous : depravity

Examples of villainy in a Sentence

a story of villainy and betrayal the gruesome villainies of war
Recent Examples on the Web From the ruthless Moff Gideon in Disney+ streaming series The Mandalorian to the unrepentantly ambitious Stan Edgar in Prime Video superhero show The Boys, to his upcoming corrupt mayor in Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis, Esposito has mastered the art of villainy. Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 18 Sep. 2024 This charisma makes their acts of villainy even more chilling, creating a lasting impression through the contrast between their charming facade and capacity for cruelty. Jd Barker, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2024 As a scoundrel, players decide on their own code among a wretched hive of scum and villainy. Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, 5 Sep. 2024 Unpacking the inner workings of Gotham, from the mayor’s office to Oz’s underworld, the show reveals the villainy that manifests and thrives at all levels. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 12 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for villainy 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'villainy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of villainy was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near villainy

Cite this Entry

“Villainy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/villainy. Accessed 13 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

villainy

noun
vil·​lainy ˈvil-ə-nē How to pronounce villainy (audio)
plural villainies
: conduct or actions of or typical of a villain

More from Merriam-Webster on villainy

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