accomplice

noun

ac·​com·​plice ə-ˈkäm-pləs  -ˈkəm- 

: one associated with another especially in wrongdoing

was convicted as an accomplice to murder

Synonyms

• henchman
• cohort
• accessary
• partner
• accessory
• abettor
• informant
• 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

Henley would tell police that that Corll had been a serial killer, and Henley had been one of his accomplices. —Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 24 Oct. 2025

His accomplices placed an $80,000 parlay on Porter failing to hit multiple statistical targets. —Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 24 Oct. 2025

She’s perfectly matched by her Kinds of Kindness co-star Plemons, exhibiting a heretofore untapped volatility, and by newcomer Aidan Delbis, who plays the neurodivergent accomplice caught in the middle. —A.a. Dowd, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2025

Two of these accomplices, Mario Vanni and Giancarlo Lotti, were convicted of four of the eight double homicides, per Il Post. —Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Oct. 2025

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