accomplice

noun

ac·​com·​plice ə-ˈkäm-pləs  -ˈkəm- 

: one associated with another especially in wrongdoing

was convicted as an accomplice to murder

Synonyms of accomplice

• henchman
• cohort
• partner
• accessory
• abettor
• informant
• informer
• companion

Examples of accomplice in a Sentence

He was convicted as an accomplice to murder.

the thief and his accomplices were eventually caught and brought to justice

Recent Examples on the Web

Detectives believe Brasser and an accomplice, Tajenae Unique Cooper, followed Starzynski from a local bank to where the shooting occurred, the Sacramento Police Department said at the time of Cooper’s arrest. —Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 5 Mar. 2026

Still unanswered, too, is why the allegations were included in a Justice Department slide presentation last year summarizing the cases against Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. —Saige Miller, NPR, 5 Mar. 2026

Prosecutors said the 17-year-old — sworn in to testify under just his first name, Daniel — gave up a hard drive containing bitcoin after Halem and his alleged accomplices threatened to kill him. —Matthew Ormseth, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026

Police allege that the man and an uncharged accomplice would typically jump over the shops’ counters and raid the cash registers, or simply grab the cash registers and run. —Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 3 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Anglo-French acomplice, alteration of complice "associate" — more at complice

Note: The source of initial a(c)- is unclear. The earlier notion that a- represents fusion of the indefinite article cannot be maintained given the much earlier occurrences of the word in Anglo-French (in a 1384 petition of the Drapers guild, and in vol. 2 of the Rotuli Parliamentorum [1279-1377]). The suggestion that complice has been assimilated to accomplir, "to fulfill, etc.," (see accomplish) is not very compelling semantically.

First Known Use

1584, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

accomplice

noun

ac·​com·​plice ə-ˈkäm-pləs  -ˈkəm- 

: someone associated with another in wrongdoing

Legal Definition

accomplice

noun

ac·​com·​plice ə-ˈkäm-pləs, -ˈkəm- 

: one who intentionally and voluntarily participates with another in a crime by encouraging or assisting in the commission of the crime or by failing to prevent it though under a duty to do so

the accomplice of the burglar

an accomplice in a robbery

Etymology

alteration (from incorrect division of a complice) of complice, from Middle French, associate, from Late Latin complic- complex partner, confederate