bad guy

[ bad gahy ]

noun

, Informal.

1. an evil or malicious person; a villain or someone perceived as one:

   The actor now makes his living guest starring as the bad guy on many different TV shows.

   Business consulting can turn you into the bad guy for people who don't want to know their idea could fail.

2. any person who does bad or harmful things, especially habitually:

   In tech security, you just have to live with the fact that the bad guys are already ahead of you.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bad guy¹

An Americanism first recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

Indeed, Mr. Reed is almost immediately identified as a Very Bad Guy, who draws two likable young Mormons to his home by expressing interest in their church, then locks them in, communications severed from the outside world, for a coerced and increasingly menacing TED Talk that culminates with a direct challenge of faith.

From Los Angeles Times

“I think they’re trying to make him seem like a bad guy because of what he said,” student Mykael James told the news station.

From Los Angeles Times

“I felt like it was a missing part of the story, where I was the bad guy, you know? It’s easy to show the unraveling of a relationship. But then you’re like, ‘Oh, wait — part of this was my fault.’”

From Los Angeles Times

One of the things I learned, I forget who said it, but the bad guy never thinks they’re the bad guy.

From Los Angeles Times

But what I found very useful — an actor said this once and I forget who it is — they said, "No bad guy thinks they're the bad guy."

From Salon

Related Words

• antagonist
• antihero
• bad person
• baddie
• baddy
• cad
• knave
• miscreant
• scoundrel
• villain