bad guy

[bad gahy] / ˈbæd ˌgaɪ /

NOUN

villainous or criminal person

Synonyms

STRONGEST

antagonist antihero bad person baddie baddy cad knave miscreant scoundrel villain

STRONG

con convict criminal crook felon gangster gunman hoodlum lawbreaker offender robber thief wrongdoer

WEAK

bad actor malefactor reprobate rogue ruffian

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

They said he gave less direct feedback than Lasseter and seemed to never want to be the bad guy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 2026

Nobody has been more critical of Riley than this space, but he’s not the bad guy here.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2025

Asked for his reaction to Bolton's indictment, Trump told reporters his former aide is a "bad guy" and "that's the way it goes."

From Barron's • Oct. 16, 2025

It can be dangerous but the performance side of it… I'm a good waffler on the mic... making people believe you're the bad guy or the good guy.

From BBC • Aug. 23, 2025

Or in Final Fantasy where the whole world recedes and it’s just you and the bad guy in a space like an empty page.

From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri

bad guy

Example Sentences

Related Words