The Meaning of BBEG: What It Is and How To Use It

Do you know the definition of BBEG? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the acronym BBEG, including its definition, usage, example sentences, and more!

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What does the acronym BBEG stand for?

According to The Free Dictionary and Fandom, the acronym BBEG can either stand for Big Bad Evil Guy or Big Bad End Guy. These terms are used in role-playing tabletop or online games, especially those of which are in the action-adventure genre like Dungeons and Dragons as devices to set the plot in motion and bring the party together against them in a campaign. The BBEG is considered the main villain or enemy in the main plotline of the story being played out. This term could also stand for Big Bad Evil Girl or Big Bad Evil Gal, depending on who is playing the part of the villain. Often, role-playing games and video games have a big “boss” that the players have to defeat at the end. In video games, this is often a non-player character, or NPC. In a tabletop RPG like DND, this might be a player character. The Big Bad Evil Guy might try to defeat the characters while they are on their journey toward him or her, or they might reserve their tricks until the last battle of the game. These BBEGs often have minions like orcs that the player characters will have to defeat along their journey.

While other languages may not have direct translations for the term BBEG, there are many different languages that do contain words for villain. If you are playing an RPG with a person who is in another country or who doesn’t speak English, they may not be aware of the term BBEG. Therefore, it is useful to know many different translations for the term. Thils list of translations is provided by Word Sense.

  • Ido: kriminanto‎, kriminero‎, kanalio‎
  • Swahili: mhalifu‎
  • Georgian: ბოროტმოქმედი‎, არამზადა‎
  • Finnish: roisto‎, konna‎, lurjus‎, kelmi‎
  • Macedonian: ни́каквец‎ (masc.), зло́бник‎ (masc.)
  • Italian: canaglia‎ (fem.), furfante‎ (masc.), mascalzone‎ (masc.), farabutto‎ (masc.), criminale‎, scellerato‎ (masc.)
  • Romanian: mișel‎, ticălos‎
  • German: Schurke‎ (masc.), Gauner‎ (masc.)
  • Malayalam: വഞ്ചകൻ‎, ചതിയൻ‎, കുറുക്കൻ‎
  • Swedish: skurk‎ (common), bov‎ (common)
  • French: scélérat‎
  • Portuguese: vilão‎ (masc.), salafrário‎ (masc.), patife‎ (masc.)
  • Navajo: ájígaléidii‎
  • Kannada: ಪೋಕ‎, ಹೋಕ‎, ಪೋಕರಿ‎
  • Polish: łotr‎ (masc.), łajdak‎ (masc.), złoczyńca‎ (masc.)
  • Mandarin: 惡棍‎, 恶棍‎ (ègùn), 坏家伙‎ (huàijiāhuo), 混混兒‎, 混混儿‎ (hùnhùnr) (Northern Mandarin), 壞蛋‎, 坏蛋‎ (huàidàn), 無籟‎, 无籁‎ (wúlài), 渾蛋‎, 浑蛋‎ (húndàn), 流氓‎ (liúmáng), 壞人‎, 坏人‎ (huàirén)
  • Cyrillic: злобник‎ (masc.)
  • Dungan: хулюҗин‎ (hulyuzhin)
  • Japanese: 悪人‎ (あくにん, akunin), 悪党‎ (あくとう, akutō), 悪漢‎ (あっかん, akkan)
  • Persian: تبه کار‎
  • Czech: padouch‎ (masc.)
  • Indonesian: penjahat‎
  • Hebrew: נָבָל‎
  • Dutch: schurk‎ (masc.), slechterik‎ (masc.)
  • Greek: παλιάνθρωπος‎ (masc.), κάθαρμα‎ (neut.)
  • Hindi: खलनायक‎
  • Roman: zlobnik‎ (masc.)
  • Irish: bithiúnach‎ (masc.)
  • Russian: злоде́й‎ (masc.), негодя́й‎ (masc.), мерза́вец‎ (masc.), подле́ц‎ (masc.)
  • Danish: skurk‎ (common), slyngel‎ (common)
  • Hungarian: gazember‎

What are synonyms and antonyms for the term BBEG?

There are many different words that one can use in place of the acronym BBEG. If someone is not familiar with the game Dungeons and dragons or other RPG games, they may not know what the term BBEG stands for. Therefore, it is useful to know a plethora of synonyms – which are words and phrases that mean the same thing as another word or phrase – in order to clarify. Synonyms are also useful to know if  you are in a situation in which it is not appropriate to use an acronym or slang term, as well as to avoid repeating yourself or to expand your vocabulary. This list of synonyms for the term BBEG is provided by Thesaurus.

  • sinner
  • reprobate
  • offender
  • mischief-maker
  • scamp
  • uncaring of others bad egg
  • caitiff
  • devil
  • criminal
  • creep
  • scalawag
  • profligate
  • miscreant
  • rascal
  • blackguard
  • dastard
  • brute
  • antihero
  • lowlife
  • incorrigible
  • vagabond
  • maggot
  • evildoer
  • wretch
  • cheat
  • villain
  • mischiefmaker
  • malefactor
  • good-for-nothing
  • heel
  • enfant terrible
  • black sheep
  • antagonist
  • crook
  • rapscallion
  • scoundrel
  • bad news
  • libertine
  • thief
  • imp
  • ne’er-do-well

There are also many different terms that mean the opposite of BBEG. These are called antonyms. Antonyms are also useful to know if you are trying to expand your vocabulary or learn more about the English language. This list of antonyms is also provided by Thesaurus.

  • vanquisher
  • nonpareil
  • medalist
  • vindicator
  • paladin
  • protector
  • hero
  • backer
  • victor
  • central character
  • champion
  • warrior
  • advocate
  • prime mover
  • partisan
  • endorser
  • advocate
  • guardian
  • hero
  • expounder
  • top dog
  • number one
  • exponent
  • warrior
  • the greatest
  • titleholder
  • upholder
  • numero uno
  • champ
  • exemplar
  • defender
  • lead
  • combatant
  • principal
  • patron
  • exponent
  • idol
  • conqueror
  • standard-bearer
  • ally
  • winner
  • champion
  • leader
  • protagonist
  • heroine
  • challenger
  • sympathizer
  • mainstay
  • proponent
  • lead character
  • supporter

How can you use the term BBEG in a sentence?

The term BBEG can be used in many different conversations relating to role-playing games. This could be used to reference a past BBEG that a person played well, a current BBEG that a group is trying to defeat, or who will get to play the BBEG the next time. In this example, Hannah and Faye are playing a videogame together.

Hannah: Oh my God!

Faye: What? What’s happening? Why did the screen go black?

Hannah: We just completed the last quest before the BBEG. This is our final battle! Stay focused. We can do this.

Faye: Here we go!

Here, Hannah uses the term BBEG to refer to the final boss.

Overall, the abbreviation BBEG is used in RPGs to refer to the Big Bad End Guy or Big Bad Evil Guy. This is usually the main villain of a role=playing game, and is the one that the players are on a quest to defeat. In video games, this is often an NPC, or non-player character, but in tabletop RPGs, this could be played by a person and attempt to foil the characters along the way.

Sources:

  1. https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/villain
  2. https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/champion
  3. https://www.wordsense.eu/villain/
  4. https://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/bbeg
  5. https://rpgmuseum.fandom.com/wiki/BBEG#:~:text=Edit,of%20a%20campaign%20or%20scenario.