villainous
adj. C1 Advanced US //ˈvɪɫənəs// UK //vˈɪlənəs// vil·lain·ous
adj. describing someone who is very mean, cruel, or dishonest. You use this to talk about a character in a story who does bad things, or a person who acts in a bad way.
adj. characterised by extreme wickedness, cruelty, or dishonesty. Often used to describe fictional antagonists or real-life individuals with a reputation for malevolence.
The movie features a villainous character who steals the treasure.
The villainous plot involves a secret society that plans to destroy the city's power grid.
The protagonist must navigate a villainous web of lies and betrayal to uncover the truth behind the corporate scandal.
From Middle English vileinous, from Old French vileneus. By surface analysis, villain + -ous.