knaves

noun

plural of knave
as in villains
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person he plays the role of the duplicitous knave who tries to foil the play's hero

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 knaves Today, all too many of us risk becoming the prey of political tricksters and knaves. — Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026 The knights who always told the truth and the knaves who always lied. — Quanta Magazine, 20 Aug. 2026 Try for yourselves, ye witless knaves— Take each to bed your Sally! — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knaves
  1. villains
  2. brutes
  3. criminals
  4. savages
  5. devils
  6. monsters
  7. scoundrels
Noun
  • Much psychological research has focussed on the degradation of villains, but a symmetrical force works to elevate victims.
    — Paul Bloom, New Yorker, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Catwoman For a sexy twist on your classic cat makeup, channel one of the comic book world's most beloved villains.
    — Michella Oré, Glamour, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of villains
Noun
  • These brutes commonly exceed 50 pounds.
    — Keith Sutton, Outdoor Life, 18 June 2026
  • In Raspail’s tale, hordes of impoverished and dark-​skinned brutes from India descend onto French shores by way of rafts, the first wave of an invasion of the civilized West by the brown-​skinned developing world.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Apr. 2026
Definition of brutes
Noun
  • According to investigators cited by NBC News, the criminals have shown planning and sophistication by employing techniques like GPS location spoofing and even arranging collisions with police escort vehicles.
    — Nick Indge, ArsTechnica, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Without changing state law, criminals can continue to be sentenced to death in California.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of criminals
Noun
  • Among the English-speaking settlers, the events at Lake George would be remembered as a massacre, and the Indigenous people whose home this was, whose conventions of war did not match those of the European empires, were called savages.
    — James Whorton Jr, Longreads, 13 Oct. 2026
  • And potentially discover treasure that will keep the savages at home from tearing the place down.
    — Barry Collins, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Definition of savages
Noun
  • In 1974 the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons first appeared, and later editions featured such character types as devils and demons.
    — Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Researchers have also documented the phenomenon in dogs, Tasmanian devils, and some kinds of clams and other shellfish.
    — Adam Cohen, Oklahoman, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of devils
Noun
  • The film, set between the years 1945 and 1947, depicts a society struggling to recover from war, only to be reduced, once again, by the arrival of a kaiju (as giant monsters are known in Japanese, and to fans of the corresponding film genre).
    — Matt Alt, New Yorker, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The fight scene rules, and there are much, much worse things for kids to see than CGI monsters grievously injuring one another.
    — James Grebey, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of monsters
Noun
  • But as with any good Leonard story, the best moments come from the characters, a rogues’ gallery of violent ruffians and neurotic, duplicitous scoundrels.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Players command Hawks, a former Republic officer, leading a customizable squad of diverse archetypes, including Jedi and scoundrels.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of scoundrels

Browse Nearby Words

knavery
knaves
knavish
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Cite this Entry

“Knaves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knaves. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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