culprit

noun cul·prit \ ˈkəl-prət , -ˌprit \

|Updated on: 11 Aug 2018

Examples: culprit in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

Definition of culprit

1 : one accused of or charged with a crime

The culprit pleaded "not guilty."

2 : one guilty of a crime or a fault

The culprit expressed remorse at his sentencing.

3 : the source or cause of a problem

Lack of exercise and poor diet are the main culprits in heart disease.

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See culprit defined for kids

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Examples of culprit in a Sentence

The police eventually located the culprits.
the police caught the culprit a mere two blocks from the scene of the crime

Recent Examples of culprit from the Web

And yet after almost two weeks of reflection, the German soccer federation (DFB) appears to have decided midfielder Mesut Ozil is the main culprit for the team’s shock early World Cup exit.

— ciaran fahey, The Seattle Times, "Germany makes Mesut Ozil the scapegoat for World Cup exit," 10 July 2018
Major culprits included bacteria that cause a dangerous pneumonia called Legionnaires disease; Pseudomonas, which causes a rash and swimmer’s ear; and, again, the diarrhea-dealing parasite, Cryptosporidium.

— rachel becker, The Verge, "There might be poop in the water you’re swimming in so please don’t swallow it, CDC says," 29 June 2018
After reports of mail thefts in his neighborhood, the Milledgeville native lay in wait in a neighbor’s yard for the culprits to act again, according to the newspaper.

— steve burns, ajc, "Ex-MLB pitcher holds mail theft suspects at gunpoint, Georgia deputies say," 14 June 2018
But a detailed 1983 article about the decline of the drive-in, written by The Chronicle’s John Stanley, gave data and testimonials that suggested the multiplex theater was the largest culprit for failing drive-ins.

— peter hartlaub, SFChronicle.com, "SF almost had a Sutro Drive-In in 1950, and more local outdoor movie history," 13 July 2018
An obvious culprit in the affordability problem facing Texans is the lack of health insurance, Drew Altman, Kaiser Family Foundation president and CEO, said in a statement.

— jenny deam, Houston Chronicle, "Texans missing or delaying needed treatment because health costs too high," 12 July 2018
Despite that, Trump repeatedly denied that Russia had any involvement with the email hacking, suggesting China or a 400-pound man might be the true culprit.

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "Will Trump Be Meeting With His Counterpart — Or His Handler?," 8 July 2018
Climate change is a major culprit, and Mongolia, landlocked and far from the moderating effects of the ocean, is suffering more than most parts of the world.

— simon denyer, Washington Post, "Mongolia’s nomadic way of life threatened by climate change, neglect, modernity," 8 July 2018
Her defense made the case during the trial that her son was actually the shooter in the January 2017 incident that left Gary Frantz gasping for air and answering questions about the culprit.

— max londberg, kansascity, "Woman found guilty of murdering husband after her defense accuses son of the crime," 6 July 2018

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

Did You Know?

We would be culpable if we didn't clearly explain the origins behind culprit. Yes, it is related to culpable, which itself derives from Latin culpare, meaning "to blame," via Middle English and Anglo-French. But the etymology of culprit is not so straightforward. In Anglo-French, culpable meant "guilty," and this was abbreviated "cul." in legal briefs and texts. Culprit was formed by combining this abbreviation with prest, prit, meaning "ready"-that is, ready to prove an accusation. Literally, then, a culprit was one who was ready to be proven guilty. English then borrowed the word for one accused of a wrongdoing.