Villain
noun
A character in a story, movie, or drama who does bad things.
The Joker is a well-known villain in Batman comics.
Often appears as...
- comic book villain
- movie villain
noun
A person who does evil or harmful things.
He was portrayed as a villain in the media for his unethical business practices.
Often appears as...
- true villain
- potential villain
Usage tips
Disapproving
noun
In historical contexts, a peasant or farm servant.
In medieval times, villains were bound to the land and had to serve the lord.
Often appears as...
- medieval villain
- historical villain
Usage tips
Historical
noun
A character in a story, movie, or drama who does bad things.
The Joker is a well-known villain in Batman comics.
Often appears as...
- comic book villain
- movie villain
noun
A person who does evil or harmful things.
He was portrayed as a villain in the media for his unethical business practices.
Often appears as...
- true villain
- potential villain
Usage tips
Disapproving
noun
In historical contexts, a peasant or farm servant.
In medieval times, villains were bound to the land and had to serve the lord.
Often appears as...
- medieval villain
- historical villain
Usage tips
Historical
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Fictional Role
Used for characters in stories, signifies opposition to the hero.
In every superhero movie, the villain plots against the protagonist.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Traits
Associated with negative qualities like cruelty or evilness.
The villain in the play was greedy and ruthless.
Pro Tip 3/3Plot Importance
Often the driver of conflict in the plot, creating challenges for the hero.
The story's villain kidnapped the scientist to steal the secret formula.
Pro Tip 1/3Fictional Role
Used for characters in stories, signifies opposition to the hero.
In every superhero movie, the villain plots against the protagonist.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Traits
Associated with negative qualities like cruelty or evilness.
The villain in the play was greedy and ruthless.
Pro Tip 3/3Plot Importance
Often the driver of conflict in the plot, creating challenges for the hero.
The story's villain kidnapped the scientist to steal the secret formula.
Pro Tip 1/3Fictional Role
Used for characters in stories, signifies opposition to the hero.
In every superhero movie, the villain plots against the protagonist.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Traits
Associated with negative qualities like cruelty or evilness.
The villain in the play was greedy and ruthless.
Pro Tip 3/3Plot Importance
Often the driver of conflict in the plot, creating challenges for the hero.
The story's villain kidnapped the scientist to steal the secret formula.
Never forget "Villain"
Humans forget easily. That's why you should download WordUp: Smart reminders, word games, AI practice, and much more!
Video examples
In on a secret? That's...
The audience is in on a secret that the characters have missed. This is a great story-telling device that creates tremendous emotion within that text. Think about it for a moment. How does it feel when, in a horror film, you know that the scary villain is hiding behind that door in the darkened room. The music becomes eerie,
Video examples
Leopard Seals Play With...
so we were there to film a sequence on gentoo penguin fledglings being predated upon or at least attacked by leopard seals the ultimate villain so i got there about a couple of weeks before the main action was due to start and during this time i was filming the gentoo penguin chicks up in the colony
Video examples
The psychology of evil PIPE...
really is a celebration of the human mind's infinite capacity to make any of us kind or cruel, caring or indifferent, creative or destructive, and it makes some of us villains. And the good news that I'm going to hopefully come to at the end is that it makes some of us heroes.
Video examples
History vs. Christopher...
Traditions and holidays are important to all cultures, but a hero in one era may become a villain in the next as our historical knowledge expands and our values evolve. And deciding what these traditions should mean today is a major part of putting history on trial.
Video examples
Where do new words come...
these can often be understood the first time you hear them. And sometimes a new word isn't new at all. Obsolete words gain new life by adopting new meanings. Villain originally meant a peasant farmer, but in a twist of aristocratic snobbery
Video examples
What I learned at...
audience who will now be the next villain on the next indiana jones' oh the Indian Elmo sky so terrible I don't know his name okay I'm Indian text a friend of mine said he thought his speech should have been more substantive and more truly
Video examples
History vs. Vladimir...
He was one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, forever changing the course of one of the world's largest countries. But was he a hero who toppled an oppressive tyranny or a villain who replaced it with another?
Video examples
Episode 1: The Plight of...
our work we knew our team had to be out of china before the article hit the newsstands why well Brian's got some pretty potent things to say by every measure china is the world's villain when it comes to the illegal ivory trade
Video examples
A Saudi woman who dared...
So for me, it wasn't only about these attacks I had to face. It was about living two totally different perceptions of my personality, of my person -- the villain back in my home country, and the hero outside.
Video examples
After billions of years...
because the villain, entropy, is preordained to have the final victory, when the inexorable laws of thermodynamics shut down all novelty with the so-called heat death of the universe.
Video examples
In on a secret? That's...
The audience is in on a secret that the characters have missed. This is a great story-telling device that creates tremendous emotion within that text. Think about it for a moment. How does it feel when, in a horror film, you know that the scary villain is hiding behind that door in the darkened room. The music becomes eerie,
Video examples
Leopard Seals Play With...
so we were there to film a sequence on gentoo penguin fledglings being predated upon or at least attacked by leopard seals the ultimate villain so i got there about a couple of weeks before the main action was due to start and during this time i was filming the gentoo penguin chicks up in the colony
Video examples
The psychology of evil PIPE...
really is a celebration of the human mind's infinite capacity to make any of us kind or cruel, caring or indifferent, creative or destructive, and it makes some of us villains. And the good news that I'm going to hopefully come to at the end is that it makes some of us heroes.
Video examples
History vs. Christopher...
Traditions and holidays are important to all cultures, but a hero in one era may become a villain in the next as our historical knowledge expands and our values evolve. And deciding what these traditions should mean today is a major part of putting history on trial.
Video examples
Where do new words come...
these can often be understood the first time you hear them. And sometimes a new word isn't new at all. Obsolete words gain new life by adopting new meanings. Villain originally meant a peasant farmer, but in a twist of aristocratic snobbery
Video examples
What I learned at...
audience who will now be the next villain on the next indiana jones' oh the Indian Elmo sky so terrible I don't know his name okay I'm Indian text a friend of mine said he thought his speech should have been more substantive and more truly
Video examples
History vs. Vladimir...
He was one of the most influential figures of the 20th century, forever changing the course of one of the world's largest countries. But was he a hero who toppled an oppressive tyranny or a villain who replaced it with another?
Video examples
Episode 1: The Plight of...
our work we knew our team had to be out of china before the article hit the newsstands why well Brian's got some pretty potent things to say by every measure china is the world's villain when it comes to the illegal ivory trade
Video examples
A Saudi woman who dared...
So for me, it wasn't only about these attacks I had to face. It was about living two totally different perceptions of my personality, of my person -- the villain back in my home country, and the hero outside.
Video examples
After billions of years...
because the villain, entropy, is preordained to have the final victory, when the inexorable laws of thermodynamics shut down all novelty with the so-called heat death of the universe.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Zach McGowan
American Actor
As you do on any cable series, if they introduce you as the villain, then you better start working towards making him a really good guy, or if they introduce you as a really good guy, then you better start working towards being the villain. Your character has to go somewhere, or else they become very uninteresting.
Quote examples
Wayne Dyer
American Psychologist
Your life is like a play with several acts. Some of the characters who enter have short roles to play, others, much larger. Some are villains and others are good guys. But all of them are necessary; otherwise, they wouldn't be in the play. Embrace them all, and move on to the next act.
Quote examples
Jordan Peterson
Canadian Psychologist
The most propagandistic element of 'Frozen' was the transformation of the prince at the beginning of the story, who was a perfectly good guy, into a villain with no character development whatsoever about three-quarters of the way to the ending.
Quote examples
Sidney Sheldon
American Novelist
I try to give both my heroes and villains an emotional dimensionality which provides the motivation for their actions.
Quote examples
Tabu
Indian Actress
Every character, before they are heroes or villains, they are human beings.
Quote examples
John Hodgman
American Comedian
The villain of any story is often the most compelling character.
Quote examples
Fiona Barton
English Journalist
I like my villains clever, deep, and driven by pure evil.
Quote examples
Brock Pierce
American Businessman
I only help the superheroes, I don't help the villains.
Quote examples
Udo Kier
German Actor
The villain is the character that the people remember.
Quote examples
Colby Covington
American Athlete
Super villains and bad guys win in real life.
Quote examples
Zach McGowan
American Actor
As you do on any cable series, if they introduce you as the villain, then you better start working towards making him a really good guy, or if they introduce you as a really good guy, then you better start working towards being the villain. Your character has to go somewhere, or else they become very uninteresting.
Quote examples
Wayne Dyer
American Psychologist
Your life is like a play with several acts. Some of the characters who enter have short roles to play, others, much larger. Some are villains and others are good guys. But all of them are necessary; otherwise, they wouldn't be in the play. Embrace them all, and move on to the next act.
Quote examples
Jordan Peterson
Canadian Psychologist
The most propagandistic element of 'Frozen' was the transformation of the prince at the beginning of the story, who was a perfectly good guy, into a villain with no character development whatsoever about three-quarters of the way to the ending.
Quote examples
Sidney Sheldon
American Novelist
I try to give both my heroes and villains an emotional dimensionality which provides the motivation for their actions.
Quote examples
Tabu
Indian Actress
Every character, before they are heroes or villains, they are human beings.
Quote examples
John Hodgman
American Comedian
The villain of any story is often the most compelling character.
Quote examples
Fiona Barton
English Journalist
I like my villains clever, deep, and driven by pure evil.
Quote examples
Brock Pierce
American Businessman
I only help the superheroes, I don't help the villains.
Quote examples
Udo Kier
German Actor
The villain is the character that the people remember.
Quote examples
Colby Covington
American Athlete
Super villains and bad guys win in real life.
Example 1 of 10
WordUp Chrome Extension
As you browse the web instantly look up words you don’t know.
Get Chrome Extension