adj
dastardly
DAHS-tuhd-lee
adj
1
Cowardly and treacherous, especially in a sneaky or underhanded way.
"The villain hatched a dastardly plot to sabotage the race."
"It was a dastardly betrayal of his closest friend."
How to Use Dastardly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDescribes a plan or act that is both cowardly and sly — the classic word for a cartoon villain's scheme.
When to use it
Slightly old-fashioned and often used with a hint of humour, especially describing melodramatic villains.
Common pairings
dastardly plot
dastardly deed
dastardly villain
Word Forms
dastardlier comparative, dastardliest superlative
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The villain hatched a _____ plot to sabotage the race.
Etymology
From dastard ("a cowardly, sneaky person") plus the adjective suffix -ly.