as in brutes
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person
only a heartless villain would kidnap a baby for ransom
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Recent Examples of villains
Plana played one of the two main villains in Three Amigos.
—
Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2025
There are true and proper villains (Mordred, Morgan Le Fay).
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
As the ancillary villains of the season (sorry, Heather Matarazzo and Steve Buscemi) drop like flies, Isaac becomes the last one standing, drawing the whole Addams clan to Nevermore’s Iago Tower in order to drain Pugsley of his spark powers.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2025
There are villains in every episode and the story uses them to showcase some societal issues.
—Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Eugene Domingo stars as Mauricia, a disrespected restaurant worker who, while watching soap operas one night, gets sucked through her TV screen into a training academy for villains.
—PC Magazine, 5 Sep. 2025
And once she is threatened with abduction by the villains, Ziva is back in glamorously brutal action to protect her.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 4 Sep. 2025
This was Shakespeare’s unique take on witches, who were usually cast in literature as more active villains.
—Emily Zarevich, JSTOR Daily, 3 Sep. 2025
Advertisement Advertisement There are no heroes in A House of Dynamite, but there are no definable villains, either, which is what makes this film so unmooring.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 3 Sep. 2025
Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2025
There are true and proper villains (Mordred, Morgan Le Fay).
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025
As the ancillary villains of the season (sorry, Heather Matarazzo and Steve Buscemi) drop like flies, Isaac becomes the last one standing, drawing the whole Addams clan to Nevermore’s Iago Tower in order to drain Pugsley of his spark powers.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 8 Sep. 2025
There are villains in every episode and the story uses them to showcase some societal issues.
—Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Eugene Domingo stars as Mauricia, a disrespected restaurant worker who, while watching soap operas one night, gets sucked through her TV screen into a training academy for villains.
—PC Magazine, 5 Sep. 2025
And once she is threatened with abduction by the villains, Ziva is back in glamorously brutal action to protect her.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 4 Sep. 2025
This was Shakespeare’s unique take on witches, who were usually cast in literature as more active villains.
—Emily Zarevich, JSTOR Daily, 3 Sep. 2025
Advertisement Advertisement There are no heroes in A House of Dynamite, but there are no definable villains, either, which is what makes this film so unmooring.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for villains
Noun
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Some are slow and heavy brutes that have tons of health while others are slightly but deal more damage.—
Gieson Cacho,
Mercury News,
18 Aug. 2025
Noun
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This quiz invites you to explore the darker corners of sci-fi literature, where monsters lurk not just in shadows, but in laboratories, alien worlds and post-apocalyptic wastelands.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Watch out for monsters under the bed.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Our research suggests that the vast majority of Republican voters want to close loopholes that allow criminals and dangerous people to get their hands on guns.—
Gabby Giffords,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
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The days of letting dangerous criminals terrorize American citizens are over.—
Dan Gooding,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Weapons seems to break such cycles, leaving no more devils hiding in basements or upstairs bedrooms playing with dolls or ribbons of hair.—
Richard Newby,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Just this morning, DHS took violent offenders off the streets with arrests for assault, DUI, and felony stalking.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
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Instead of a sense of outrage leading to a search for a better solution for repeat violent offenders, her death generated calls for collective retribution and vigilante justice.—
Zeynep Tufekci,
Mercury News,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Over $200 Off NFL Sunday Ticket NFL fans can make out like bandits with the DraftKings Sportsbook welcome offer.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
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Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern were cast as the bumbling but dogged bandits, Harry and Marv, and Catherine O’Hara brought humor and compassion to the part of Kevin’s mother.—
Tim Greiving,
Vulture,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Over at Metropolitan State University, the on-campus gallery is presenting works from five Twin Cities Latino artists working across paintings, puppetry, photography and more focused on bestiarios, or fantastical, mythical beasts.—
Jared Kaufman,
Twin Cities,
7 Sep. 2025
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Terrifying beasts, murders most foul, posh French zombies and a sequel to one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Swashbucklers, scoundrels, bandits and buccaneers will soon be bellying up to the bar inside a lively new pirate pub at Walt Disney World that’s already booked solid for the first two months and promises to be a must-have reservation for visitors.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Villains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/villains. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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