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dastardly

dastardly

18 8.4
A person who is very cruel and cowardly, often betraying others secretly
  • adjective
  • /ˈdæstərdli/
  • Archaic
: vil
  • The dastardly villain betrayed his friends for personal gain.
  • dastardly deed
  • dastardly act
  • dastardly attack

There's still gentleman Jim Marcon out there doing his dastardly stuff as a mobster.

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Examples

  • Well, his name is Inflation and he's the most dastardly thing ever.

  • Broun continued on to explain that this dastardly plot is meant to hide the true age of our Earth.

    Blog text (13)
  • We all know how dastardly the Bad Guys are.

  • Good luck with your dastardly plans.

  • All right, so I have a dastardly plan to test the flower power.

  • We will take care of all those dastardly fellows.

  • With no constable on duty, it was clearly up to them to solve the dastardly crime.

    Blog text (17)
  • Let's suppose someone were dastardly enough to harbor such thoughts.

  • Who knows what dastardly scheme... that villain may be plotting... even as we speak.

  • Count Olaf had pursued them, trying one dastardly technique after another to get his hands on their fortune.

    Fiction book (2002)

Synonyms

cruel
vsdastardly
474 2.7

Willing to cause pain or suffering to others

is harmful behavior that also involves cowardly or sneaky methods
ruthless
vsdastardly
142 4.9

Not feeling sorry for others and hurting them on purpose

is lack of pity that also involves cowardly or underhanded betrayal
wicked
vsdastardly
112 4.6

A person or action that is very bad and cruel

is moral evil expressed through cowardly or betraying actions
despicable
vsdastardly
  • Offensive
87 5.7

Very bad in a way that makes people feel strong dislike and disgust

is contempt applied specifically to acts done in a cowardly way
malicious
vsdastardly
83 5.8

Wanting to hurt someone or damage their good name

is harmful intent that includes a cowardly or underhanded motive
depraved
vsdastardly
  • Formal
44 7.8

Very bad and cruel in the way someone behaves

is moral corruption that includes cowardly or betraying behavior toward others
nefarious
vsdastardly
  • Formal
43 8.8

Very bad and illegal, done to harm people

is evil act that also carries a cowardly or deceptive motive
diabolical
vsdastardly
42 8.2

Very evil and cruel, like a devil

is great evil expressed through cowardly betrayal rather than open violence
Satanic
vsdastardly
37 7.4

Connected with Satan or with evil beliefs and rituals

is extreme evil that specifically involves cowardly or betraying actions
treacherous
vsdastardly
29 7.1

Likely to betray you, for example by lying or breaking promises

is betrayal done in a cowardly and contemptible way
ungodly
vsdastardly
18 7.2

Morally wrong because it goes against religious rules

is moral wrongness that includes cowardly or treacherous conduct toward others
traitorous
vsdastardly
18 8.3

Acting secretly to harm people who trust them

is betrayal carried out with cowardly and despicable conduct
villainous
vsdastardly
14 7.3

Very bad and cruel, often hurting other people

is severe wrongdoing that specifically involves cowardly betrayal or deceit
fiendish
vsdastardly
10 7.9

Being very cruel and evil and making others suffer

is extreme cruelty that tends to use sneaky or cowardly methods
iniquitous
vsdastardly
  • Formal
2 9.8

Very unfair and wrong in a way that harms people

is severe immorality that also shows cowardly or betraying behavior
unmerciful
vsdastardly
2 7.1

Being very cruel and not kind to others

is harshness combined with cowardly or betraying intention toward others
flagitious
vsdastardly
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A very wicked and criminal act that shocks people

is shocking wickedness that often also involves cowardly betrayal or deceit
diabolic
vsdastardly
1 7.8

Very evil and cruel, like the devil

is deliberate wickedness that also shows a sneaky, cowardly betrayal

Antonyms

318 3.6

Having high moral qualities and kind intentions

valiant
  • Formal
40 6.1

Showing great courage when facing danger or difficult situations

Surface Forms

dastardly positive

Morphology

dastardly = dastard (transparent) = dastard + ly

Formed regularly from the noun 'dastard' + the adjective-forming suffix '-ly', so the meaning is directly derived (though 'dastard' is somewhat archaic).

Etymology

The word dastardly comes from the old English noun dastard, which meant 'coward'. So, dastardly describes a wicked action done in a cowardly or sneaky way.