Meaning & use

dastardly

adjective·Advanced

Last updated

Wicked and cruel, especially in a cowardly or underhanded way.

See it in a sentence

The cartoon villain hatched a dastardly plan to flood the town.

Historians described the ambush as a dastardly betrayal of the peace treaty.

A note on using this word

Has a slightly old-fashioned or exaggerated tone, often used humorously to describe cartoonish villains.

Words with a similar meaning

villainousdespicable

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Words with an opposite meaning

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