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

Irrational self-belief is one of the reasons villains deeply resonate across culture, says Kevin Wynter, a professor of media studies at Pomona College. —Jason Parham, WIRED, 26 Dec. 2024

Here the villain isn't a person but an incredibly advanced AI with the power to destabilize the world. —Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024

Many fans have been delighted to discover their favorite childhood villain is showing off his favorite high-powered juicer and obsessing over sculpture molds. —Remy Tumin, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024

The real villain of the piece is a returning fan favorite, Feathers McGraw, who debuted in the 1993 Oscar-winning short film The Wrong Trousers. —Simon Thompson, Forbes, 24 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