villain

noun

vil·​lain ˈvi-lən How to pronounce villain (audio)
Synonyms of villainnext
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
… witness the wolf, at once ecological hero and agricultural villain.—Ben Goldfarb
4
: villein
5
: an uncouth person : boor

Synonyms of villain

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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
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.
Not in the bad-apples way with a cartoon villain that is easy to identify and escort out of the building. — Aparna Rae, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 Because many Black players and media members dislike her, many on the left have cast Clark and her fans as villains. — Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 30 June 2026 Elmosnino is an amusing villain, making his most self-serving machinations sound reasonable. — Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026 Cooper and Margot Robbie will star in the movie alongside Wagner Moura as the villain. — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for villain

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of villain was in the 14th century

Rhymes for villain

See All Rhymes for villain

Browse Nearby Words

Villahermosa
villain
villainage
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Cite this Entry

“Villain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/villain. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

villain

noun
vil·​lain ˈvil-ən How to pronounce villain (audio)
1
: villein
2
: an evil person : scoundrel
3
: a character in a story or play who opposes the hero

More from Merriam-Webster on villain

Nglish: Translation of villain for Spanish Speakers

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