accomplice

noun

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ac·com·plice | \ ə-ˈkäm-pləs

, -ˈkəm-

Definition of accomplice

: one associated with another especially in wrongdoing was convicted as an accomplice to murder

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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 Twenty-nine-year-old Elmer Zelaya Martinez is accused of leading his accomplices in the MS-13 street gang in the 2016 stabbing deaths of 17-year-old Edvin Escobar Mendez and 14-year-old Sergio Arita Triminio. — Washington Post, "Greater Mid-Atlantic News Digest 6 p.m.," 10 Jan. 2020 The man returned the package, reunited with his accomplice and drove off from the scene. — Li Cohen, CBS News, "Apparent porch pirate shamed into returning nearly-stolen package," 21 Dec. 2019 Connie and his accomplices tear through Manhattan, Queens, Long Island, and Brooklyn, showing us parts of New York that don’t always appear onscreen. — Kelefa Sanneh, The New Yorker, "The Safdie Brothers’ Full-Immersion Filmmaking," 9 Dec. 2019 One of the suspects was caught that night, still driving Brian’s Chevy Blazer, and his accomplice was picked up a day or two later. — Kate Morgan, Woman's Day, "How A Mother Turned Her Grief Into Goodness," 8 Dec. 2019 The office wrote that Zhang, while working as a dealer at unnamed casinos in Maryland, would show his co-conspirators a portion of the deck, which his accomplices would photograph. — Phil Davis, baltimoresun.com, "Virginia man sentenced to 18 months for cheating Maryland casinos out of over $1 million," 5 Dec. 2019 Khan and his accomplices had links to radical preacher Anjem Choudar, one of the highest-profile faces of radical Islam in Britain. — Gregory Katz, chicagotribune.com, "The London Bridge attacker is gone, but questions remain about his early release from prison," 1 Dec. 2019 Khan and his accomplices had links to radical preacher Anjem Choudary, one of the highest-profile faces of radical Islam in Britain. — Bloomberg.com, "U.K. Police: Suspect in Attack Had Served Time for Terrorism," 30 Nov. 2019 Khan and his accomplices had links to radical preacher Anjem Choudar, one of the highest-profile faces of radical Islam in Britain. — Author: Gregory Katz, Anchorage Daily News, "Focus on early release of terror convict in London stabbings," 30 Nov. 2019

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.

History and Etymology for 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.

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Last Updated

17 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Accomplice.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/accomplice. Accessed 20 January 2020.

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More Definitions for accomplice

accomplice

noun

English Language Learners Definition of accomplice

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

See the full definition for accomplice in the English Language Learners Dictionary

accomplice

noun

ac·com·plice | \ ə-ˈkäm-pləs

Kids Definition of accomplice

: a partner in wrongdoing

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

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