as in brute
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person
only a heartless villain would kidnap a baby for ransom
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of villain
With stunning action set pieces, a delightfully wicked villain (Javier Bardem), and a surprisingly emotional through-line featuring M (Judi Dench), Skyfall resonated for casual moviegoers as much as diehard Bond devotees.
—
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Mar. 2026
The upcoming chapter of the manga is one of the most highly anticipated in its history, as the possible final villain of the story, Imu, is about to take center stage against Luffy and his pirate crew.
—Tyler Erzberger, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
The Skywalker Saga might have been disappointing, but Maul's criminal empire is a way better fate for the Sith Lord than becoming the star villain of his own trilogy.
—Daryl Baxter, Space.com, 30 Mar. 2026
But there’s a difference between being a true villain and just being the team everyone wants to beat.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for villain
Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Mar. 2026
The upcoming chapter of the manga is one of the most highly anticipated in its history, as the possible final villain of the story, Imu, is about to take center stage against Luffy and his pirate crew.
—Tyler Erzberger, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
The Skywalker Saga might have been disappointing, but Maul's criminal empire is a way better fate for the Sith Lord than becoming the star villain of his own trilogy.
—Daryl Baxter, Space.com, 30 Mar. 2026
But there’s a difference between being a true villain and just being the team everyone wants to beat.
—Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for villain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for villain
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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Bay Hill was a brute before the round was halted for just over an hour because of heavy rain.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
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In Nuremberg,Göring is closer to a sad clown than to a monster.—
Alice Kaplan,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
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For the non-Nintendo among us, Bowser is Mario’s enemy, a fire-breathing monster and leader of the Koops.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
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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While the movie has some fun asking whether people actually want to know everything about their partners (a devil’s bargain since time immemorial), its real interest lies in how that knowledge is colored by who shares it.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
31 Mar. 2026
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Is chocolate devil’s food cake with ganache your favorite birthday cake?—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2026
Noun
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This one just happens to involve wizards, goblins, and one savage, half-blind dragon.—
Séamas O'Reilly,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2026
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Just as all British became painted as corrupt as part of their national character, so too did all Native people become seen as savage by their biological nature.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Holmes qualified for the reduced term under a 2023 rule change allowing first-time offenders to do less time for some non-violent crimes, according to an order issued Thursday by the federal judge who sentenced her in 2022 for defrauding investors in her blood-testing startup.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
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And many Democrats see it as an effort to curb more liberal prosecutors who have embraced restorative justice policies, including steering nonviolent offenders away from prison sentences or taking more lax approaches to drug offenses.—
Riley Bunch,
AJC.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Sure, the Oscar-winning makeup helps transform the actor into Cheney, but the voice and petulance are all Bale, whose conjuring of this scoundrel ought to trigger PTSD for anyone who survived the Dubya years.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2026
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Political leaders who encourage or tolerate such scoundrels should be driven from office.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The Big Dipper is the brightest part of the beast.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
29 Mar. 2026
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Even with the Hornets in the midst of one of the best stretches in franchise history and the city gravitating toward full-fledged acceptance and happiness, the test that stood before them was a beast.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Villain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/villain. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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