as in scoundrel
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as in to insult
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Recent Examples of blackguard
Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2020
The endurance of nationalism proves that there’s never any shortage of blackguards willing to prop up people’s sense of themselves and their destiny with a tissue of myths and prophecies, prejudices and hatreds, or to empty out old rubbish bags full of festering resentments and calls to violence.
—Jill Lepore, Foreign Affairs, 5 Feb. 2019
Despite all the worry about Fukushima, smokers have been inhaling radioactive particles for decadesNicotine - murder weapon of choice for the 19th century blackguard, by Deborah Blum.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 26 May 2012
Noun
Edgar finds work in the hamlet of Dreng’s Ferry with Dreng himself, an all-around blackguard, but eventually Edgar’s intelligence and capability propel him into the building trade.
—Washington Post, 17 Nov. 2020
The endurance of nationalism proves that there’s never any shortage of blackguards willing to prop up people’s sense of themselves and their destiny with a tissue of myths and prophecies, prejudices and hatreds, or to empty out old rubbish bags full of festering resentments and calls to violence.
—Jill Lepore, Foreign Affairs, 5 Feb. 2019
Despite all the worry about Fukushima, smokers have been inhaling radioactive particles for decadesNicotine - murder weapon of choice for the 19th century blackguard, by Deborah Blum.
—Ed Yong, Discover Magazine, 26 May 2012
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackguard
Noun
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New Orleans has long been notorious for embracing such scoundrels, a reputation that isn’t exactly helped by the fact that, for many years, disgraced attorneys who lost their licenses in Louisiana and applied for readmission to the bar often got it.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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Sure, the Oscar-winning makeup helps transform the actor into Cheney, but the voice and petulance are all Bale, whose conjuring of this scoundrel ought to trigger PTSD for anyone who survived the Dubya years.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Haulcy plays like somebody insulted his family before kickoff.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
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Trump has threatened to fire Powell a number of times, as well as insulted his character and policies.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
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How does history distinguish knaves from legendary figures?—
W.E. Gutman,
Sun Sentinel,
8 July 2025
-
Human beings are motivated by virtue (knights) or rigid self-interest (knaves), or are passive victims of their circumstances (pawns).—
Sachin H. Jain,
Forbes,
20 Dec. 2024
Verb
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In 2022, Manhattan Federal Judge Jed Rakoff, who presided over both trials, decided The Times was not liable for defamation while jurors were deliberating, that the error amounted to unfortunate editorializing but not libel.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
22 Apr. 2025
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As a new, inexpensive Chevrolet appeared in 1927 and The Dearborn Independent was sued for libeling a number of Jewish businessmen, Ford threw in the towel and apologized.—
George Pendle,
airmail.news,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Like a cartoon villain, though, Paula kicks up the edge of the carpet, which causes poor Miriam to make a dog’s dinner of afternoon tea.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
15 Apr. 2026
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Nemesis achieves a lot, introducing a dangerous new villain that even the mighty Asgard fear, while ramping up the tension for a suitably dramatic season finale.—
Daryl Baxter,
Space.com,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Paramedics observed Barbour was slurring his speech and had unsteady balance, and his blood-alcohol content was determined at the hospital to be 0.096%, according to prosecutors.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
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Hickerson showed signs of impairment and had slurred speech.—
Ben Wheeler,
Kansas City Star,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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That rogues’ gallery includes such reprobates as Maura Healey, the fake Indian, Ed Markey, Seth Moulton, crackpot leftist Juliette Kayyem… Percentage of contribution Summers made to Democrats: 100 percent.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
22 Nov. 2025
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Unlike Vegas with its cast of reprobates and wackos, this joint is classy and clean and just a wee bit indulgent.—
David Weiss,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Ever the cad, Bednar still wouldn’t commit to saying Wedgewood when asked if 41 would be his starter for Game 2 on Tuesday night.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
20 Apr. 2026
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Tracy Letts is one such person, but his Chicago anecdote paints Colbert as a cad.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blackguard.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackguard. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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