as in evil
that which is morally unacceptable
psychologists and sociologists have tried to discover the roots of such unspeakable villainy
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of villainy
Infamous Internet imageboard and wretched hive of scum and villainy 4chan was apparently hacked at some point Monday evening and remains mostly unreachable as of this writing.
—
ArsTechnica, 15 Apr. 2025
This series has many of his signatures: officers who take things too personally on account of their painful back stories, police lingo 101 and criminals whose clunky villainy could be ripped from a comic book.
—Margaret Lyons, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
Plus, given that Argentina is where some Nazis fled after WWII, there’s a rich history of still-relevant villainy that would heighten the stakes of a show that already revolves around a murder.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 9 Apr. 2025
Look, henchwomen are still important archetypes in the world of villainy.
—Samantha Riedel, Them., 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for villainy
ArsTechnica, 15 Apr. 2025
This series has many of his signatures: officers who take things too personally on account of their painful back stories, police lingo 101 and criminals whose clunky villainy could be ripped from a comic book.
—Margaret Lyons, New York Times, 9 Jan. 2025
Plus, given that Argentina is where some Nazis fled after WWII, there’s a rich history of still-relevant villainy that would heighten the stakes of a show that already revolves around a murder.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 9 Apr. 2025
Look, henchwomen are still important archetypes in the world of villainy.
—Samantha Riedel, Them., 28 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for villainy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for villainy
Noun
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With a visual style influenced by European fantasy and shonen anime, the series promises high-stakes action and emotional resonance as its heroes confront an ancient evil.—
Jamie Lang,
Variety,
7 June 2025
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Topics: Science & technology (24%), particularly good vs. evil, new technology, advanced science, and the workings of the universe.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 June 2025
Noun
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While working together on The Unit, David Mamet once told you that good drama isn’t a choice between good and bad; good drama is the choice between two bads.—
Max Gao,
The Hollywood Reporter,
24 Jan. 2025
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Reports out of fall camp haven’t been super favorable to their offense, and while the defense will, again, be top-notch, a team with this bad of an offense cannot be trusted.—
Austin Mock,
The Athletic,
19 Aug. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Villainy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/villainy. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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