villain

noun

vil·​lain ˈvi-lən How to pronounce villain (audio)
Synonyms of villainnext
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
… witness the wolf, at once ecological hero and agricultural villain.—Ben Goldfarb
4
: villein
5
: an uncouth person : boor

Synonyms of villain

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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Anthony Hopkins has played villains and popes, presidents and dictators, titans of literature and comic book kings. — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026 In a sense, there are three heroes and villains, and there was never a question that [the women] were not expendable, whereas everyone else around them was, depending on how the story worked. — Max Gao, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026 Unlike Crow-Armstrong, Pierzynski outwardly relished being a villain to Cubs fans, and coming through against them in a clutch situation made the moment even sweeter. — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Aug. 2026 That of course is the bare bones premise of just the first game in the franchise, and explaining the identity of the true villain is where your head starts to spin. — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for villain

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of villain was in the 14th century

Rhymes for villain

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Browse Nearby Words

Villahermosa
villain
villainage
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Cite this Entry

“Villain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/villain. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

villain

noun
vil·​lain ˈvil-ən How to pronounce villain (audio)
1
: villein
2
: an evil person : scoundrel
3
: a character in a story or play who opposes the hero

More from Merriam-Webster on villain

Nglish: Translation of villain for Spanish Speakers

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