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antihero

[ an-tee-heer-oh, an-tahy- ]
/ ˈæn tiˌhɪər oʊ, ˈæn taɪ- /
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR antihero ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural an·ti·he·roes.

a protagonist who lacks the attributes that make a heroic figure, as nobility of mind and spirit, a life or attitude marked by action or purpose, and the like.

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RELATED WORDS

devil, criminal, scoundrel, sinner, malefactor, reprobate, brute, offender, evildoer, miscreant, rascal, libertine, mischief-maker, caitiff, creep, blackguard, wretch, heel, profligate, rapscallion

Nearby words

antihemophilic globulin a, antihemophilic globulin b, antihemophilic human plasma, antihemorrhagic, antihemorrhagic factor, antihero, antiheroic, antiheroine, antihidrotic, antihistamine, antihistamines

Origin of antihero

First recorded in 1705–15; anti- + hero
Related formsan·ti·her·o·ism [an-tee-her-oh-iz-uh m, an-tahy-] /ˌæn tiˈhɛr oʊˌɪz əm, ˌæn taɪ-/, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for antihero

  • I also want to say that there's a degree to which we never really thought of this as an antihero show.

    ‘The Americans’ Showrunners Dissect the Secrets of Season 2|Andrew Romano|February 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST

  • So when he graduated from antihero to pop stalwart in the mid-aughts, the rap world largely lost interest.

    ‘The Marshall Mathers LP 2’ Review: Eminem’s a Great Rapper With Nothing to Say|Rawiya Kameir|November 5, 2013|DAILY BEAST

British Dictionary definitions for antihero

antihero

/ (ˈæntɪˌhɪərəʊ) /

noun plural -roes

a central character in a novel, play, etc, who lacks the traditional heroic virtues
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for antihero

antihero

n.

also anti-hero; 1714, from anti- + hero.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper