as in brute
a mean, evil, or unprincipled person
only a heartless villain would kidnap a baby for ransom
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of villain
Two years later, a long-haired white Persian appeared in From Russia With Love, purring from the lap of the Bond villain Blofeld.
—
Steve Garbarino, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
Social media is abuzz with rumors that Disney theme parks might not keep villains around the parks year-round and would instead be relegated to the Halloween season.
—James Factora, Them., 24 Oct. 2025
Putin, a ruthless septuagenarian bent on restoring Russia to its imperial glory, is simply too good a villain for Western politicians and media commentators to ignore.
—Andrew Ryvkin, The Atlantic, 14 Oct. 2025
The Dussehra Diwali Dhamaka festival — Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Alameda County fairground — included dancing, fireworks, vendors, food, games and the ceremonial burning of a 40-foot effigy of Ravana, a villain in Hindu mythology.
—Nhat V. Meyer, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for villain
Steve Garbarino, HollywoodReporter, 24 Oct. 2025
Social media is abuzz with rumors that Disney theme parks might not keep villains around the parks year-round and would instead be relegated to the Halloween season.
—James Factora, Them., 24 Oct. 2025
Putin, a ruthless septuagenarian bent on restoring Russia to its imperial glory, is simply too good a villain for Western politicians and media commentators to ignore.
—Andrew Ryvkin, The Atlantic, 14 Oct. 2025
The Dussehra Diwali Dhamaka festival — Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Alameda County fairground — included dancing, fireworks, vendors, food, games and the ceremonial burning of a 40-foot effigy of Ravana, a villain in Hindu mythology.
—Nhat V. Meyer, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for villain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for villain
Noun
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An extermination of the brutes in the Middle East, presided over by Obama’s successors, has been followed by a swift cancellation by Trumpian decree of the postracial age.—
Pankaj Mishra,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
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Each fits into typical RPG classes — with Armon being the close combat brute, Harlow the magical crowd control specialist, Rafa the agile rogue, and Vex serving as a summoner who calls on minions to do the dirty work.—
George Yang,
Rolling Stone,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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With no one on in the bottom of the seventh, Ohtani hit a monster home run off Seranthony Dominguez to tie the game once again.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
28 Oct. 2025
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Ohtani’s monster 4-4 night – which included two home runs, two doubles, an astonishing five walks and 12 total bases – helped the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 6-5 win in 18 innings on Monday.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The anime series follows a young man who can demolish fellow devils via a pullstring in his chest that transforms parts of his body into chainsaws.—
Jack Smart,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
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For Kahlo Dior, dressed as a devil, that sense of belonging was especially important.—
Sonia Mankame,
Mercury News,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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To suggest that another candidate’s supporters are criminals — particularly when that candidate is, by all measures, poised to win at least a plurality of votes in the city — does not seem like a recipe for earning New Yorkers’ support.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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Binance also lacked protocols — standard for financial services companies — to report transactions for money laundering risks, according to the Justice Department, and employees were well aware that such an oversight would invite criminals to the platform.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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And that friction — between soft and savage — is what keeps us going.—
Alma Rota,
Rolling Stone,
14 Oct. 2025
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Tenacious and savage Scrappy Rex is extremely formidable and robust with energy.—
Lisa Stardust,
PEOPLE,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But equally important is to give the offender the benefit of the doubt.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
27 Oct. 2025
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Among the offenders are Troy Franklin, Garett Bolles and Luke Wattenberg.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Why no mumblings of atonement for the predatory nature of capitalism itself, its core values and standard operating procedures no different from those of the beasts in the field?—
Henry Freedland,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
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The project recently won a Red Dot Design Award and miniature models of the giant beasts are on display at Singapore's Red Dot Museum until October 2026, where they can be viewed in more detail.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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It’s scorned Donald, who saw that scoundrel Lee leaving his mistress’s house this morning.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
15 Oct. 2025
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Yet, bizarrely, the TV show undercuts this angle by inventing a serial killer nurse from whole cloth, a move that shifts the blame away from systemic forces and toward a motiveless scoundrel.—
Graham Hillard,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Villain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/villain. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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