antihero

• anti-hero

From anti- +‎ hero.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈæn.tɪˌhɪə.ɹəʊ/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈænˌtaɪ.hiɹ.oʊ/, /ˈæn.tiˌhiɹ.oʊ/

• Audio (US):

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• Audio (General Australian):

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antihero (plural antiheroes)

1. (literature, roleplaying games) A protagonist who proceeds in an unheroic manner, such as by criminal means, via cowardly actions, or for mercenary goals.

   Synonym: unhero

   • 2006, James Bonnet, Stealing Fire from the Gods: The Complete Guide to Story for Writers and Filmmakers:

     Alienation: A stage on the downside of the passage wherein the holdfast and the antihero take actions which bring about a disintegration of personality.

   • 2020 July 29, Jessie Yeung, “Australia names new species after Deadpool, Thor, and other Marvel favorites”, in CNN‎^[1]:

     The Deadpool fly is a species of Robber fly, which are “assassins of the insect world” – fitting for the mercenary antihero.

   • 2021 August 11, Jacqui Palumbo, “Rosamund Pike in ‘I Care a Lot’ and six more recommendations if you love an antiheroine”, in CNN‎^[2]:

     Fictional male antiheroes like television’s crime patriarchs Tony Soprano and Walter White have reigned for some time, but the antiheroine has only more recently had the opportunity to rise up – and become the cause of her own downfall. […] Grayson serves as an archetype for a female antihero not driven by much except for her own ambition, and she’s quite fine with that.

• anti-villain
• counterhero
• false protagonist
• false hero

• on the air, on-the-air