Villainous
/ˈvɪlənəs/adjective
Related to being evil or wicked.
The villainous witch cast a spell on the innocent princess.
Often appears as...
- villainous character
- villainous act
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Extremely degrading or unpleasant.
He lived in a villainous, filthy room.
Often appears as...
- villainous behavior
- villainous conditions
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Related to being evil or wicked.
The villainous witch cast a spell on the innocent princess.
Often appears as...
- villainous character
- villainous act
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Extremely degrading or unpleasant.
He lived in a villainous, filthy room.
Often appears as...
- villainous behavior
- villainous conditions
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Connotation
Carries a strong negative judgment, suggesting deep immorality or injustice.
His villainous betrayal destroyed their alliance.
Pro Tip 2/3Literary Use
Often used in literature to describe antagonists or their actions in stories.
The novel's villainous tyrant was feared by all.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Casual
It's not commonly used in everyday conversation, more in stories or formal critiques.
The critic described the character's motives as villainous.
Compare with
atrociousevilfiendishheinousmalevolentmaliciousnefarioussinisterwicked
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Video examples
How movies teach manhood...
that all of the most heroic and wise and even villainous characters are female now I started to notice this when I actually showed Star Wars to my daughter which was years later and the situation
Video examples
How your brain decides...
This stereotype is probably exploited and magnified by images in popular media, in which facial disfigurement is often used as a shorthand to depict someone of villainous character.
Video examples
Can Cell Phones Help...
she promised villainous villainous problem is not intended not the so narrative device community tomato severe
Video examples
How movies teach manhood...
that all of the most heroic and wise and even villainous characters are female now I started to notice this when I actually showed Star Wars to my daughter which was years later and the situation
Video examples
How your brain decides...
This stereotype is probably exploited and magnified by images in popular media, in which facial disfigurement is often used as a shorthand to depict someone of villainous character.
Video examples
Can Cell Phones Help...
she promised villainous villainous problem is not intended not the so narrative device community tomato severe
Example 1 of 3
Quote examples
Mark Lawrence
American Author
Everyone likes a bit of variety. I'm sure none of my readers only want to read about anti-heroes or villainous protagonists any more than they only want to read about square-jawed heroes doing the right thing. I just write characters than entertain me and hope they'll be ones that other people want to read about, too.
Quote examples
Nivin Pauly
Indian Actor
I have been doing a lot of romantic movies, so such roles don't excite me much now. I would like to play an out-and-out, really cruel villain once. My character in 'Da Thadiya' had such a streak, but I want a full length villainous role. It is a different kind of excitement.
Quote examples
Kabir Bedi
Indian Actor
Honestly, I'm willing to experiment with far more variety in roles than I'm given. But ultimately, it's the producer's decision. But, I've done a variety of roles - the evil don, the evil husband... I've done villainous roles, supporting roles, etc.
Quote examples
Kevin Spacey
American Actor
I've been trying to take this journey over the last four years of getting away from playing manipulative and villainous characters and playing characters that are affected by what happens to them as opposed to unaffected.
Quote examples
Paul S. Kemp
American Author
I suppose the textbook definition of an anti-hero is pretty straightforward - a protagonist who embodies not only heroic characteristics but also some characteristics typically deemed non-heroic, even villainous.
Quote examples
Nestor Carbonell
American Actor
Before it was revealed that my character on 'Lost' had a troubled history, a fan came up to me and said, 'Wow, you're a really nice guy.' To me, that was a compliment, having played a very villainous guy.
Quote examples
Ann Nocenti
American Journalist
I don't think most people are all heroic or all villainous, so I find ambiguity of motivations to be a natural human condition.
Quote examples
Vivek Oberoi
Indian Actor
I love villainous characters; they are so exciting to play. They are so different and challenging.
Quote examples
Clint Eastwood
American Actor
I played characters with villainous aspect. But out-and-out villain? No.
Quote examples
Charlaine Harris
American Author
Very few of my characters are totally heroic or totally villainous.
Quote examples
Mark Lawrence
American Author
Everyone likes a bit of variety. I'm sure none of my readers only want to read about anti-heroes or villainous protagonists any more than they only want to read about square-jawed heroes doing the right thing. I just write characters than entertain me and hope they'll be ones that other people want to read about, too.
Quote examples
Nivin Pauly
Indian Actor
I have been doing a lot of romantic movies, so such roles don't excite me much now. I would like to play an out-and-out, really cruel villain once. My character in 'Da Thadiya' had such a streak, but I want a full length villainous role. It is a different kind of excitement.
Quote examples
Kabir Bedi
Indian Actor
Honestly, I'm willing to experiment with far more variety in roles than I'm given. But ultimately, it's the producer's decision. But, I've done a variety of roles - the evil don, the evil husband... I've done villainous roles, supporting roles, etc.
Quote examples
Kevin Spacey
American Actor
I've been trying to take this journey over the last four years of getting away from playing manipulative and villainous characters and playing characters that are affected by what happens to them as opposed to unaffected.
Quote examples
Paul S. Kemp
American Author
I suppose the textbook definition of an anti-hero is pretty straightforward - a protagonist who embodies not only heroic characteristics but also some characteristics typically deemed non-heroic, even villainous.
Quote examples
Nestor Carbonell
American Actor
Before it was revealed that my character on 'Lost' had a troubled history, a fan came up to me and said, 'Wow, you're a really nice guy.' To me, that was a compliment, having played a very villainous guy.
Quote examples
Ann Nocenti
American Journalist
I don't think most people are all heroic or all villainous, so I find ambiguity of motivations to be a natural human condition.
Quote examples
Vivek Oberoi
Indian Actor
I love villainous characters; they are so exciting to play. They are so different and challenging.
Quote examples
Clint Eastwood
American Actor
I played characters with villainous aspect. But out-and-out villain? No.
Quote examples
Charlaine Harris
American Author
Very few of my characters are totally heroic or totally villainous.
Example 1 of 10
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