accomplice

noun ac·com·plice \ ə-ˈkäm-pləs , -ˈkəm- \

|Updated on: 6 Jun 2018

Examples: accomplice in a Sentence

Definition of accomplice

: one associated with another especially in wrongdoing

was convicted as an accomplice to murder

See accomplice defined for English-language learners

See accomplice defined for kids

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 of accomplice from the Web

Frazier had no known affiliation with the man and had no accomplices.

— kayla fitzgerald, sacbee, "Elderly man wakes up to teen stealing from him and is assaulted, Citrus Heights police say," 2 June 2018
In December 1949, DiFronzo and an accomplice were looting the Fey-Manning dress shop at 304 N. Michigan Ave. in Chicago when they were surprised by police.

— bob goldsborough, chicagotribune.com, "Reputed Chicago Outfit boss John DiFronzo dies at 89," 30 May 2018
He and an accomplice had helped instigate the mayhem near 18th Street and Girard Avenue that sent bystanders ducking and diving, surveillance video showed.

— mensah m. dean, Philly.com, "3 charged, none convicted: Why a North Philly murder remains unsolved," 29 May 2018
The spree ended when an accomplice's tip set up a law enforcement ambush on a lonely road outside of Gibsland in Bienville Parish.

— melinda morris, NOLA.com, "84 years ago May 23, Bonnie and Clyde met their doom, in Louisiana," 23 May 2018
Investigators believe that the second person in custody, an 18-year-old, may be an accomplice but not a shooter, a law enforcement official said.

— amir vera, CNN, "School shootings so common Santa Fe student felt 'eventually it would happen here, too'," 18 May 2018
His girlfriend, Rachael Brookes, an accomplice, was sentenced to two years community service.

— kim hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, "Bitcoin: London police make first cryptocurrency seizure from prolific hacker," 2 May 2018
Laguerre and an accomplice were sentenced to life in prison, plus five years.

— jared gilmour, miamiherald, "Man guilty of murder didn’t hear the verdict — because he escaped during lunch break, Ga. cops say | Miami Herald," 1 May 2018
Bishop and an accomplice were under investigation by police and federal authorities for a series of street robberies, court records stated.

— glenn e. rice, kansascity, "Independence man faces gun charge for role in fatal shooting of 20-year-old woman | The Kansas City Star," 23 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'accomplice.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of accomplice

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.

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1584

in the meaning defined above

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accomplice Synonyms

Synonyms

abettor (also abetter), accessory (also accessary), cohort, confederate;

evidence, state's evidence;

companion, comrade, crony, henchman, partner;

conspirator, plotter, traitor;

gangster, mobster, racketeer;

Other Legal Terms

actionable, alienable, carceral, chattel, complicity, decedent, larceny, malfeasance, modus operandi

ACCOMPLICE Defined for English Language Learners

accomplice

noun

Definition of accomplice for English Language Learners

: a person who works with or helps someone who is doing something wrong or illegal

ACCOMPLICE Defined for Kids

accomplice

noun ac·com·plice \ ə-ˈkäm-pləs \

Definition of accomplice for Students

: a partner in wrongdoing

Law Dictionary

accomplice

noun ac·com·plice \ ə-ˈkäm-pləs, -ˈkəm- \

legal Definition of accomplice

: 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

Origin and Etymology of accomplice

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