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.
Stephen Graham plays our villain, Jurek Walter, a serial killer imprisoned in solitary confinement in a concrete cell in the basement of a psychiatric hospital but apparently still working his will on the world. — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026 Filmmaker Marie Kreutzer is not interested in letting the audience off the hook with a villain that looks like a villain. — ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026 The fright of theme drought had subsided for now, but as with any horror villain, there’s always the danger of a sequel. — Sam Corbin, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2026 Catwoman For a sexy twist on your classic cat makeup, channel one of the comic book world's most beloved villains. — Michella Oré, Glamour, 27 Oct. 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 2 Nov. 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
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