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
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Recent Examples of villain
Being a karate villain is a step in that character actor direction.
—
Brian Truitt, USA Today, 2 June 2025
The new cast members are led by Gabriel Byrne’s villain, known as Chancellor.
—Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 31 May 2025
Hockey really covets villains in a manner no other sport does.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 31 May 2025
Of course, everyone has their own favorite Bond villain.
—EW.com, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for villain
Brian Truitt, USA Today, 2 June 2025
The new cast members are led by Gabriel Byrne’s villain, known as Chancellor.
—Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 31 May 2025
Hockey really covets villains in a manner no other sport does.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 31 May 2025
Of course, everyone has their own favorite Bond villain.
—EW.com, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for villain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for villain
Noun
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Meanwhile, Conner was still battling his brute of a blue cat.—
Bob McNally,
Outdoor Life,
21 May 2025
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Then comes the arrival of General Zod and his two primary compatriots – a warrior woman and a silent hulking brute – who do battle with Superman around the city, causing much destruction and threatening the life of Lois Lane and her Daily Planet coworkers.—
Mark Hughes,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The message of Bring Her Back may be that grief is the real monster.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
30 May 2025
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Almost anyone 18 and older that appears onscreen is a monster here, and anyone younger is either prey or a means to an end.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
28 May 2025
Noun
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Mahnaz’s son is a Tasmanian devil spinning his ticking time bomb energy into entrepreneurial pursuits (running a gambling ring at school), bullying classmates and yelling at any adult that interferes with his forcefield.—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
22 May 2025
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Assign a devil’s advocate to challenge views and ensure richer discussions. 6.—
Nuala Walsh,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Noun
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Or even those Californians, such as many in San Francisco and Los Angeles, who are just fed up with the perception that California is soft on criminals.—
Anita Chabria,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2025
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To boost deportations, immigration officials have detained workers at their homes and jobs — a method that, in the past, had been reserved for only the most violent criminals.—
Ana Ley,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Often regarded by historians as a collection of savage tribes, the Scythians emerge as a pivotal force of the ancient world in this monumental history.—
The New Yorker,
The New Yorker,
30 Jan. 2023
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Nearly 32 years ago, Rodney King’s savage beating by police in Los Angeles prompted heartfelt calls for change.—
Aaron Morrison, Claudia Lauer and Adrian Sainz,
Anchorage Daily News,
29 Jan. 2023
Noun
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With Hoefnagel’s help, these little beasts represent themselves.—
Jonathon Keats,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
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To work with Sly [Stallone] now, that dude is a beast.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
24 May 2025
Noun
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Like a Dickensian Andy Capp, Johnson is an uber-charming rogue, an everyman bluesy belter whose winking humor with a hint of the scoundrel are not entirely unlike Scott’s demeanor, though each man’s vocals, inflection and stage presence are/were clearly their own.—
Katherine Turman,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2025
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In the first, Trump treated a moral hero as an ungrateful scoundrel.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
27 Apr. 2025
Noun
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There were corridos about the exploits of bandits and outlaws, some of them Robin Hood-esque characters who outwitted oafish authorities and helped the poor.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2025
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The Golden State Warriors came out like bandits to open the third quarter of Game 2 on Thursday, pulling to within seven of the Timberwolves early in the frame at Target Center.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
9 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Villain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/villain. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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