as in villain
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person
a whoring, drunken scapegrace who was blackening the family's name
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 scapegrace
Her affect evokes old-timey words — scamp, scapegrace, minx.
—
New York Times, 22 July 2021
Suddenly, Juliana’s romantic ennui is interrupted by the reappearance, after an 11-year absence, of her scapegrace oldest brother.
—Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 12 Feb. 2020
The Middle Ages died dismally, and the scapegrace poet Francois Villon sang their requiem in the wineshops of the Cité.
—Bruce Dale, National Geographic, 17 Apr. 2019
Somehow, a theme-park ride combined with clever, madcap visuals and Johnny Depp’s scapegrace showboating added up to something fresh.
—A. O. Scott, New York Times, 25 May 2017
New York Times, 22 July 2021
Suddenly, Juliana’s romantic ennui is interrupted by the reappearance, after an 11-year absence, of her scapegrace oldest brother.
—Michael Dirda, Washington Post, 12 Feb. 2020
The Middle Ages died dismally, and the scapegrace poet Francois Villon sang their requiem in the wineshops of the Cité.
—Bruce Dale, National Geographic, 17 Apr. 2019
Somehow, a theme-park ride combined with clever, madcap visuals and Johnny Depp’s scapegrace showboating added up to something fresh.
—A. O. Scott, New York Times, 25 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scapegrace
Noun
-
His affinity for wrestling villains, or heels, adds another layer to his potential return.—
Gordon G. Chang,
Newsweek,
25 Jan. 2025
-
His villains include both Presidents Bush; his heroes stretch back to William McKinley but include Richard Nixon, who raised tariffs in response to low-cost manufacturing from Asia, and, Lighthizer insists, Ronald Reagan.—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
The New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Smith has been on the outer of the Australian team in the T20 format, his weakest format where his lack of power can get exposed in a game dotted by muscular brutes.—
Tristan Lavalette,
Forbes,
20 Jan. 2025
-
Maliki is a divisive brute whom Iran supports to the hilt.—
Dov Friedman,
Foreign Affairs,
17 June 2014
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
Play devil’s advocate, explore worst-case scenarios and invite constructive criticism.—
Mark Kane,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
-
Against Djokovic, that battle can become a devil’s choice.—
Matthew Futterman,
The Athletic,
20 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Are we meant to sympathize with this creature as people scream in terror and call it a monster and attack it and scream for it to be shot?—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
18 Jan. 2025
-
Set in a new location with new monsters, Wilds introduces a new type of mount, new monsters, an improved wound system, focus mode, and a new tool called the hook slinger.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
18 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
It’s widely expected that the administration will first seek to deport criminals who are in this country illegally.—
David Lightman,
Sacramento Bee,
19 Jan. 2025
-
Dave Chappelle not only touched on the L.A. County wildfires during his opening monologue on Saturday Night Live but also spoofed the evacuations by pretending to be a criminal with a whole lot to hide.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
19 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
The wretch was one E. W. Perera, a pivotal figure in the Ceylonese independence movement—and someone the narrator had celebrated growing up in Sri Lanka.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harper's Magazine,
2 Jan. 2025
-
The wretch in question has cut down one of the speaker’s spruce trees without his permission.—
Casey Cep,
The New Yorker,
23 Dec. 2023
Noun
-
Now that movie’s writer-director, Leigh Whannell, has returned to bring another classic fiend into the 21st century, with Poor Things scoundrel Christopher Abbott as a family man who starts feeling a little hairy after a full-moon encounter at his childhood home.—
A.A. Dowd,
Vulture,
6 Jan. 2025
-
That this once-relevant scoundrel's fall from something like grace uplifts so many is a testament to the joy to be found in seeing a cocky operator get his overdue comeuppance.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
18 Dec. 2024
Articles Related to scapegrace
Thesaurus Entries Near scapegrace
Cite this Entry
“Scapegrace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scapegrace. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share