variants
or scallywags
as in villains
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person
a scalawag who had taken to begging on street corners while posing as a blind person
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Recent Examples of scalawags
Ticketed experiences include a cannon battle aboard a tall ship, tours of the tall ships in port, a mermaid meet-and-greet and swim show, pirate school for scallywags and more.
—
Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 8 Sep. 2025
Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scalawags
Noun
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But CFCs, the solution to an earlier problem, turned out to be villains in disguise.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
-
These measures are politically popular and ultra-wealthy Big Tech chiefs are easy villains.—
Catherine Thorbecke,
Twin Cities,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The psychology that Bryk wrote for these young men is the key as to why these brutes are more lovable than unbearable.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
14 Mar. 2026
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Credit to producers Tim Zinnemann and George Linder for selecting a veritable array of brutes to wage battle with Arnold.—
Duane Byrge,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Göring, played by Russell Crowe, is the troubling centerpiece of James Vanderbilt’s ambitious film devoted to the trial of the major Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg in 1945–1946.—
Alice Kaplan,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
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Also included is a 13% increase in funding for the Department of Justice to focus on violent criminals and a $481 million increase in funding to enhance aviation safety and support an air traffic controller hiring surge.—
LISA MASCARO,
Arkansas Online,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Or Irish, in a time when they were seen as savages by the Englishmen?—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Other propaganda compared Native people to buffalo, cats, dogs, and devils.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Mar. 2026
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There are sounds and shadows in the forest; the Devil, or devils, may be walking the earth.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Anyone can see how many cases are filed, how much attorneys collect, and who the worst offenders are.—
Tom Manzo,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 2026
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Punish the worst offenders by requiring them to apologize, publicly, for missing the mark.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The nonlinear experience will feature show moments with each of the four monsters and a finale with a different ending every night.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
3 Apr. 2026
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Explore this gallery of ghastly classic movie monsters.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Political leaders who encourage or tolerate such scoundrels should be driven from office.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
23 Feb. 2026
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Giannis, a gentleman even in this era of scoundrels, likely wants to do right by the Bucks, too.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
3 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scalawags.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scalawags. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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