villain

noun

ˈvi-lən How to pronounce villain (audio)
Definition of villainnext
as in brute
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person only a heartless villain would kidnap a baby for ransom

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 villain Despite giving some credit to one of the villains, Zendaya has mostly supported her husband Holland’s character while promoting the Spider-Man film franchise. — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 12 July 2026 Baron is a credible villain who can give Trick and Melo someone to feud with, which delays their inevitable feud. — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026 The film has proved both controversial and enduring, spawning an eight-film franchise and earning its chainsaw-wielding antagonist, Leatherface, a spot among film’s most iconic horror villains. — Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 July 2026 Møller will next be seen in Lionsgate’s Mutiny, playing the lead villain role opposite Jason Statham and Annabelle Wallis. — Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for villain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for villain
  1. brute
  2. monster
  3. criminal
  4. devil
  5. savage
  6. offender
  7. scoundrel
  8. beast
Noun
  • Shinnecock was still a brute of a test, but the red numbers on the white scoreboard were an unfamiliar site for this course.
    — Doug Ferguson, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
  • These brutes commonly exceed 50 pounds.
    — Keith Sutton, Outdoor Life, 18 June 2026
Definition of brute
Noun
  • Go on, put the 131-cube (2,147 cc) monster engine into that one.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 July 2026
  • There’s no way the doll monsters at the pond were the whole point of the Lake of Tears, right?
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of monster
Noun
  • Data that appears to be compliance information to a regulator can appear to be a target list to a criminal.
    — Susie Violet Ward, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • The Colorado attorney general oversees more than 700 attorneys and staff and manages legal manners spanning consumer protection, civil rights, criminal, water, constitutional and environmental law.
    — Jesse Sarles, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of criminal
Noun
  • Common examples include dumb cane, calla lily, pothos or devil’s ivy, peace lily, Chinese evergreen, elephant ear, ZZ plant, philodendron, Swiss cheese plant and flamingo plant.
    — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026
  • On the finish, notes of warming oak with tannins to spare, devil’s food cake, root beer, demerara syrup, black cherry, vanilla, espresso grounds and clove.
    — Chris Perugini, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Definition of devil
Noun
  • Schoolchildren meet veterans from the savage fight in Ukraine.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • Perhaps the most striking thing about this savage beatdown is its sweetly melodic backing track.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 July 2026
Definition of savage
Noun
  • Independence Day celebrations come in the most challenging threat environment since 9/11, with the ongoing terror threat, a rise in political violence and continuing fears about lone-wolf offenders, according to Raia.
    — Luke Barr, ABC News, 3 July 2026
  • There were also concerns listed in the analysis that the registry, which dates back to 1947, could include LGBTQ+ offenders from decades ago who were convicted of offenses that are no longer crimes.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Definition of offender
Noun
  • And the surviving cartel scoundrels take the parting shot by kidnapping beloved Carter, putting a hood on him and taking the boy off.
    — Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Star Wars Outlaws on Switch 2 drops you into the galaxy’s underworld as Kay Vess, a scoundrel trying to pull off the biggest heist in the Outer Rim.
    — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 26 June 2026
Definition of scoundrel
Noun
  • Successive administrations tolerated his feed-the-beast strategy—not agreeing with it but also not bringing any pressure to bear.
    — Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026
  • The oldest depiction of a dragon-like beast dates back at least 4,000 years, and variations of the mythical creature cross cultures and oceans, appearing in ancient Europe, China, and Mesoamerica.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 15 July 2026
Definition of beast

Browse Nearby Words

villages
villain
villainess
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Cite this Entry

“Villain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/villain. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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