villainous

adjective

vil·​lain·​ous ˈvi-lə-nəs How to pronounce villainous (audio)
Synonyms of villainousnext
1
a
: befitting a villain (as in evil or depraved character)
a villainous attack
b
: being or having the character of a villain : depraved
the villainous foe
2
: highly objectionable : wretched
villainously adverb
villainousness noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for villainous

vicious, villainous, iniquitous, nefarious, corrupt, degenerate mean highly reprehensible or offensive in character, nature, or conduct.

vicious may directly oppose virtuous in implying moral depravity, or may connote malignancy, cruelty, or destructive violence.

a vicious gangster

villainous applies to any evil, depraved, or vile conduct or characteristic.

a villainous assault

iniquitous implies absence of all signs of justice or fairness.

an iniquitous system of taxation

nefarious suggests flagrant breaching of time-honored laws and traditions of conduct.

the nefarious rackets of organized crime

corrupt stresses a loss of moral integrity or probity causing betrayal of principle or sworn obligations.

city hall was rife with corrupt politicians

degenerate suggests having sunk to an especially vicious or enervated condition.

a degenerate regime propped up by foreign powers

Examples of villainous in a Sentence

villainous behavior that made him one of the most notorious figures in history and gave rise to the legend of Dracula
Recent Examples on the Web The crimson-haired young punk partners with her roommate, Cinderella's strait-laced daughter Chloe (Malia Baker), on a time-travel mission to stop Red's mom from going down a villainous path. —Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 15 May 2024 The actor is playing a demented and villainous warlord, which is a far cry from his trademark Thor role. —Zack Sharf, Variety, 13 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for villainous 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'villainous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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

Dictionary Entries Near villainous

villainize

villainous

villainy

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Villainous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/villainous. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

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Kids Definition

villainous

adjective
vil·​lain·​ous ˈvil-ə-nəs How to pronounce villainous (audio)
1
: typical of a villain
villainous attacks
also : wicked
a villainous enemy
2
: very objectionable
villainous living conditions
villainously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on villainous

Nglish: Translation of villainous for Spanish Speakers

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