KNAVES Synonyms: 79 Similar and Opposite Words

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

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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 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

Noun

Different characters — villains and helpers — pop up along his journey, as well as different tools and weapons.

— Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
But Zidar and Zwick are more interested in understanding them than in portraying them as heroes or villains.

— Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 14 Sep. 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

Now federal investigators say criminals turned that everyday habit into a way to steal bank logins and drain accounts.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026
Trump, his family and his wealthy cronies are criminals spending taxpayers’ money and taking it with their underhanded deals with our enemies.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of criminals

Noun

Districts could be drawn that look like dinosaurs, steam locomotives or Frankenstein monsters.

— Chris West, Baltimore Sun, 19 Sep. 2026
However, the biggest influences behind the storytelling came from classic Universal monsters and the Hammer Film Productions horrors.

— Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 18 Sep. 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

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knavery

knaves

knavish

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“Knaves.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knaves. Accessed 23 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of knaves

noun

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