as in brute
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person
only a heartless villain would kidnap a baby for ransom
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of villain
There’s no clear hero or villain throughout most of the movie.
—
Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 10 Oct. 2025
Despite being grouped together with the villains who slashed their way through the ’80s (and, to a lesser extent, the ’90s), Freddy has always been unique.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
During a final confrontation with Lord Morsus, Gomez’s character sacrifices herself by sealing herself inside a portal, dragging the villain in with her.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 8 Oct. 2025
Alongside her partner Val Chmerkovskiy, the pair dressed up as Maleficent, who is the villain in the Disney version of the classic fairytale Sleeping Beauty, and Stefan, who is the father of Princess Aurora in the film.
—Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for villain
Kathleen Newman-Bremang, Refinery29, 10 Oct. 2025
Despite being grouped together with the villains who slashed their way through the ’80s (and, to a lesser extent, the ’90s), Freddy has always been unique.
—Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2025
During a final confrontation with Lord Morsus, Gomez’s character sacrifices herself by sealing herself inside a portal, dragging the villain in with her.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 8 Oct. 2025
Alongside her partner Val Chmerkovskiy, the pair dressed up as Maleficent, who is the villain in the Disney version of the classic fairytale Sleeping Beauty, and Stefan, who is the father of Princess Aurora in the film.
—Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for villain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for villain
Noun
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An extermination of the brutes in the Middle East, presided over by Obama’s successors, has been followed by a swift cancellation by Trumpian decree of the postracial age.—
Pankaj Mishra,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
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Each fits into typical RPG classes — with Armon being the close combat brute, Harlow the magical crowd control specialist, Rafa the agile rogue, and Vex serving as a summoner who calls on minions to do the dirty work.—
George Yang,
Rolling Stone,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Their 7-3 win over the Cubs in Game 2 of the other NLDS matchup was powered solely by three monster home runs.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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Season 3 picks up with the Monster Association arc, as S-class heroes band together to rescue a hostage taken by monsters claiming affiliation with the villainous organization.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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At that moment, there was no scene involving a devil, but that quickly changed.—
Marina Watts,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
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But this is no case study in the evils of devil-worshipping musicians.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Flock Safety argues its drone system can act as a deterrent simply by being visible, making criminals think twice before targeting a store.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
11 Oct. 2025
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So those drums can fall into the hands of criminals who then refill them with the cheaper, toxic liquids and pass them off as the pharmaceutical-grade product, selling them to drug manufacturers who are looking to save money on ingredients.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The 'Kill Tony' host, Hinchcliffe, famously appeared at last year's massive Netflix roast for Tom Brady and generated buzz for his savage lines aimed at the NFL legend.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
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Texas is gearing up for war as a savage, flesh-eating fly appears poised for a US invasion and is expanding its range of victims.—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
8 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Many state and local leaders, including the governor, have argued the bed shortage and overcrowding lead to dangerous offenders being released early from prison, creating risks for the public.—
Penny Weaver,
Arkansas Online,
7 Oct. 2025
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According to Bates, there were between 5,000 and 6,000 such offenders in the city.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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With his physique and athleticism, Duren will continue being a beast on the glass.—
Stan Son,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
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Best Prime Day Dyson Ball Vacuum Cleaner Deals Featuring the most powerful suction of any Dyson vacuum and a whopping eight different attachment tools, the Animal Total Clean is a serious cleaning beast.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Lee is a pest and a scoundrel, chronically broke and overconfident, maybe a talented writer or at least one who’s quick with literary references.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
22 Sep. 2025
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Yet, bizarrely, the TV show undercuts this angle by inventing a serial killer nurse from whole cloth, a move that shifts the blame away from systemic forces and toward a motiveless scoundrel.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Villain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/villain. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
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