villain

noun

vil·​lain ˈvi-lən 

1

: a character in a story or play who opposes the hero

2

: a deliberate scoundrel or criminal

3

: one blamed for a particular evil or difficulty

automation as the villain in job … displacement

—M. H. Goldberg

4

: villein

5

: an uncouth person : boor

Synonyms

• baddie
• baddy
• beast
• brute
• caitiff
• devil
• evildoer
• fiend
• heavy
• hound
• knave
• meanie
• meany
• miscreant
• monster
• nazi
• no-good
• rapscallion
• rascal
• reprobate
• rogue
• savage
• scalawag
• scallywag
• scamp
• scapegrace
• scoundrel
• varlet
• wretch

Examples of villain in a Sentence

He plays the villain in most of his movies.

She describes her first husband as a villain who treated her terribly.

Don't try to make me the villain. It's your own fault that you're having these problems.

Recent Examples on the Web

Or even an appearance from Tom Holland’s Peter Parker that would mean two hours haven’t been wasted watching this forgettable origin tale of a villain who’s not really THAT bad. —Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024

Sony still had the film rights to multiple Spider-Man villains and side-characters, and thus, went to work building its own universe. —Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024

The news comes a couple days after Variety reported that a film about the Batman villain was coming down the pike. —Bethy Squires, Vulture, 13 Dec. 2024

The Grinch bore a striking resemblance to Jim Carrey's version of the beloved Christmas villain. —Rachel Raposas, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English vilain, vilein, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin villanus, from Latin villa

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Kids Definition

villain

noun

vil·​lain ˈvil-ən 

1

: villein

2

: an evil person : scoundrel

3

: a character in a story or play who opposes the hero