Fiend: meaning, definitions and examples

Fiend is repeated here, so the context and examples are the same as listed above.

• The fiend tormented the villagers every night.
• He's a fiend for puzzles, spending hours on them every day.

Villain is often used in stories, movies, and plays to describe the main bad character who opposes the hero. It can also apply to real-life people who act immorally.

• The Joker is one of the most iconic villains in comic book history.
• He turned out to be the villain in the office, always trying to sabotage his colleagues.

Malefactor is a more formal term for someone who commits crimes or does something wrong, usually in a moral or legal sense.

• The police were finally able to capture the malefactor responsible for the thefts.
• In the novel, the main malefactor is revealed to be the protagonist's friend.

Devil is commonly used in religious or mythological contexts to describe a supreme spirit of evil. In everyday speech, it can refer to a very wicked or troublesome person.

• They believed the forest was haunted by the devil himself.
• She's a little devil, always causing trouble in class.

Often used to describe someone who is extremely passionate about something to the point of obsession, it can have a negative connotation suggesting an unhealthy level of enthusiasm or addiction.

• He's a gym fiend, working out twice a day and meticulously counting calories

A positive term that describes someone who has a keen interest or passion for a particular activity or subject, without necessarily having the negative connotations of obsession.

• He's a basketball enthusiast, never missing a game and always learning about new techniques

Describes someone with extreme and uncritical enthusiasm or zeal, often in a way that is unreasonable or overly intense. This term can have negative implications, especially if it suggests irrational behavior.

• She is a health fanatic, obsessively following every diet trend and fitness routine

Typically refers to someone who has a compulsive or chronic need for a substance or activity that is often harmful, especially used in the context of drugs or behaviors.

• She's an internet addict, spending almost every waking hour online