fiend

noun

ˈfēnd How to pronounce fiend (audio)
Definition of fiendnext
1
as in villain
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person even the utter horror of the terrorist attack did not deter some fiends from going on a looting spree

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in addict
a person who regularly uses drugs especially illegally the miserable, wasted lives of narcotic fiends

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in lover
a person with a strong and habitual liking for something comic-book fiends seem to have their own little world

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in demon
an evil spirit the legend that a fiend continues to haunt what was once the castle's torture chamber

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in devil
the supreme personification of evil often represented as the ruler of hell he swore that not even the fiend could tempt him to eat that dessert

Synonyms & Similar Words
6
as in expert
a person with a high level of knowledge or skill in a field our in-house computer fiend fixed the problem in no time

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fiend What distinguishes pinback fiends from the action figures or comic book types? — A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 17 June 2026 The mini fashion fiend continued to serve her signature grunge style. — Lydia Price, PEOPLE, 15 June 2026 This freeloading fiend DiBenedetto had been flopping here since 2007. — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 7 June 2026 Yet, Robinson is an essential contributor, a defensive anchor and rebound fiend. — Fred Katz, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fiend
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fiend
  1. villain
  2. addict
  3. lover
  4. demon
  5. devil
  6. expert
  7. brute
  8. user
Noun
  • Furious drops the ball a bit in the interactions with Emma and Jay Easton, turning them into one-dimensional caricatures instead of complex villains, but honestly, this show isn’t really about them.
    — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Saoirse Ronan is ready to step into the dark side and is doubling down on wanting to play a villain in the James Bond universe.
    — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of villain
Noun
  • The lawsuit accuses Meta of contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features that addict children to its platforms and hide these harms from the public.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The lawsuit accuses Meta of contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features that addict children to its platforms and hides these harms from the public.
    — Barbara Ortutay, Fortune, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of addict
Noun
  • Art lovers and newer aficionados will appreciate learning more about the artists, the art, and how they were created.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Coffee lovers who appreciate a deep and strong cup of Joe may especially enjoy brewing coffee with a percolator.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of lover
Noun
  • As Capers endured a whirlwind of intense scrutiny during that time, he was forced to confront painful memories and long-dormant demons.
    — Ethan Rocke, Charlotte Observer, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The iconic flashing logo behind and above the band was larger, Simmons’ side of the stage was modeled after his demon persona and Frehley’s was themed around his associations with outer space.
    — Wes Orshoski, SPIN, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of demon
Noun
  • In January, Watts was a guest on actor Rainn Wilson’s podcast, where Watts played devil’s advocate to Wilson’s skeptic about casual use of mind-altering substances.
    — Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Throughout the movie, two mentors stand over each of his shoulders like an aproned angel and devil.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of devil
Noun
  • There are a number of other businesses that may be AI-proof or even benefit from its growth, such as electric utilities, said Victor Matheson, an economics professor at the College of the Holy Cross and an expert in sports business.
    — Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The supplement glutathione, given through an IV or an inhaler-like machine called a nebulizer, has not been proven to be safe or effective and could expose firefighters to illness if there is contamination while it's produced, experts say.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of expert
Noun
  • Most sportsmen wonder how any whitetail bucks, let alone a brute such as Kontras’, could have been so easily patterned.
    — Jeff Murray, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The show’s depiction of Hugh as a family man has been much more sympathetic than the book’s description of him as a power-hungry brute.
    — James Grebey, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of brute
Noun
  • Child safety advocates and some parents have welcomed age restrictions, while privacy groups say the rules can be cheated and that forcing users to supply identification raises privacy concerns.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Divine has already racked up around 100,000 users, Rabble said.
    — Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of user

Browse Nearby Words

field-workers
fiend
fiendish
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fiend.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fiend. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of devolve

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All