plural offenders
1
: a person who commits a crime
a repeat offender [=someone who has committed a crime more than once]
She recently prosecuted a sex/sexual offender. [=someone who commits sex crimes]
2
: someone or something that does something harmful or wrong
The factory is one of the worst offenders in terms of air and water pollution.
Cite this Entry
“Offender.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/offender. Accessed 26 Jul. 2026.
Copy Citation
