as in villain
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person
he plays the role of the duplicitous knave who tries to foil the play's hero
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Recent Examples of knave
Human beings are motivated by virtue (knights) or rigid self-interest (knaves), or are passive victims of their circumstances (pawns).
—
Sachin H. Jain, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Still, our heroes are not traditional heroes but rather scoundrels and knaves and outcasts, all of whom have complex inner turmoil and compelling character arcs.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
Alice begs for the knave’s freedom, putting herself in danger.
—Liesbeth Powers, Dallas News, 27 May 2023
With 377 remaining options, my second word continued this theme with the mildly ironic ‘edits’ (no, rewriting Dahl’s books is not simply ‘editing’ you cowardly knaves).
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2023
However, having dispensed with the knave who was for a while also their ace, the Tories now must find a leader who can revive an electoral coalition that only Boris could ever have built.
—The Editors, National Review, 8 July 2022
But as Karl suggests, Trump was a knave, not a fool.
—Washington Post, 26 Nov. 2021
The supporting cast includes knaves and villans such as outlaw John Wesley Hardin, Mexican General Santa Anna and swindler Billy Sol Estes.
—John MacCormack, ExpressNews.com, 27 May 2020
Identifying Figueras as a fellow-knave, Cassidy gives him a delicate sin to commit.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2020
Sachin H. Jain, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Still, our heroes are not traditional heroes but rather scoundrels and knaves and outcasts, all of whom have complex inner turmoil and compelling character arcs.
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 2 Oct. 2024
Alice begs for the knave’s freedom, putting herself in danger.
—Liesbeth Powers, Dallas News, 27 May 2023
With 377 remaining options, my second word continued this theme with the mildly ironic ‘edits’ (no, rewriting Dahl’s books is not simply ‘editing’ you cowardly knaves).
—Erik Kain, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2023
However, having dispensed with the knave who was for a while also their ace, the Tories now must find a leader who can revive an electoral coalition that only Boris could ever have built.
—The Editors, National Review, 8 July 2022
But as Karl suggests, Trump was a knave, not a fool.
—Washington Post, 26 Nov. 2021
The supporting cast includes knaves and villans such as outlaw John Wesley Hardin, Mexican General Santa Anna and swindler Billy Sol Estes.
—John MacCormack, ExpressNews.com, 27 May 2020
Identifying Figueras as a fellow-knave, Cassidy gives him a delicate sin to commit.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for knave
Noun
-
Also tossed in are picturesque but gratuitous use of famous tourist landmarks as background, near-superheroic training montages, credible intimate character dynamics, a ruthless villain (Johan Heldenbergh as Vanaken) and action that in the home stretch goes absurdly over-the-top.—
Dennis Harvey,
Variety,
13 Jan. 2025
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And though Young and (especially) the perpetrators of the massacre are clearly the villains of the piece, their past history at least partly explains their choices.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
10 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Maliki is a divisive brute whom Iran supports to the hilt.—
Dov Friedman,
Foreign Affairs,
17 June 2014
-
One million doctors to give care, 1.4 million brutes in cubicles doing their best to stop doctors from giving that care.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
16 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
And there are folk devils being made all around us, so maybe another Nosferatu adaptation is more necessary than ever.—
Maya Ibbitson,
Architectural Digest,
23 Dec. 2024
-
Well of Radiance-using devil Exo as my big pull who is yes, better than all my other characters instantly.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes,
2 Nov. 2024
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
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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
-
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
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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
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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
Noun
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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
-
Had this poor wretch been well supplied with friends and money the result, as in numerous other instances, might have been different.—
San Diego Union-Tribune,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Mar. 2023
Articles Related to knave
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Cite this Entry
“Knave.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/knave. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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