as in brutes
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 villains
One person in Atlanta has appeared in his videos as Batman villains, for free, dressed in homemade costumes that look like they were ripped straight from the television or movies.
—
Charlotte Observer, 29 Apr. 2026
Her character joined several others who faced the wrath of Homelander and other villains.
—Staff Author, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
Brand New Day also features several villains co-created by Conway.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 27 Apr. 2026
Remember, this is supposed to be entertainment, a drama with heroes and villains.
—Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
The film is considered a turning point in Indian cinema, moving away from purely evil villains to ones that show more complexity and shades of grey.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2026
Unlike earlier ships with lighter Disney storytelling, Destiny's heroes-and-villains theme creates a darker, cinematic edge.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
The playoffs have delivered their share of Knicks villains over the years, from Reggie Miller to Joel Embiid to Tyrese Haliburton.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026
Unlike past budding dynasties, the Thunder haven’t established themselves as heroes or villains.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Charlotte Observer, 29 Apr. 2026
Her character joined several others who faced the wrath of Homelander and other villains.
—Staff Author, PEOPLE, 29 Apr. 2026
Brand New Day also features several villains co-created by Conway.
—Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 27 Apr. 2026
Remember, this is supposed to be entertainment, a drama with heroes and villains.
—Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
The film is considered a turning point in Indian cinema, moving away from purely evil villains to ones that show more complexity and shades of grey.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 24 Apr. 2026
Unlike earlier ships with lighter Disney storytelling, Destiny's heroes-and-villains theme creates a darker, cinematic edge.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
The playoffs have delivered their share of Knicks villains over the years, from Reggie Miller to Joel Embiid to Tyrese Haliburton.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2026
Unlike past budding dynasties, the Thunder haven’t established themselves as heroes or villains.
—Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for villains
Noun
-
That’s happened in several Mid Atlantic rivers, but in the absence of larger brutes like blues and flathead, channels will thrive and can break the 15-pound mark.—
Joe Cermele,
Outdoor Life,
9 Apr. 2026
-
In Raspail’s tale, hordes of impoverished and dark-skinned brutes from India descend onto French shores by way of rafts, the first wave of an invasion of the civilized West by the brown-skinned developing world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The backstory flashbacks about an abusive father that suggest not all monsters have fangs?—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Peasants whisper about monsters in the forest, and in the interlude between the wars, Lajos gazes at a house that is burning down and has a premonition of the world-historical destruction to come.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Lamont and other Democrats said the raises were well deserved because the state needs to recruit workers for difficult jobs that include prison guards dealing with dangerous criminals and social workers dealing with troubled families in the state Department of Children and Families.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
2 May 2026
-
And too often, these criminals stay one step ahead of law enforcement.—
Chris Spear,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Court records show Abugharbieh entered into a diversion program for first-time offenders charged with misdemeanors.—
Holly Ramer,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Court records show Abugharbeih entered into a diversion program for first-time offenders charged with misdemeanors.—
Claudia Lauer,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Other propaganda compared Native people to buffalo, cats, dogs, and devils.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Mar. 2026
-
There are sounds and shadows in the forest; the Devil, or devils, may be walking the earth.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This notion was based on outdated presumptions of hillforts as being occupied by violent, prehistoric savages.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Or Irish, in a time when they were seen as savages by the Englishmen?—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The movie is understood to follow a sheriff and a doctor who seek revenge against a group of bandits who use the cover of a torrential thunderstorm to rob and terrorize the occupants of a small town.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
24 Apr. 2026
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On Derby Day in 1923, four masked bandits raided the hotel poker room, escaping into the crowds with what would now amount to a small fortune.—
Hillary Richard,
Robb Report,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
New Orleans has long been notorious for embracing such scoundrels, a reputation that isn’t exactly helped by the fact that, for many years, disgraced attorneys who lost their licenses in Louisiana and applied for readmission to the bar often got it.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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Political leaders who encourage or tolerate such scoundrels should be driven from office.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
23 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Villains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/villains. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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