as in offenders
a person who has committed a crime
car thieves, pickpockets, burglars, and other criminals
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Recent Examples of criminals
Göring, played by Russell Crowe, is the troubling centerpiece of James Vanderbilt’s ambitious film devoted to the trial of the major Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg in 1945–1946.
—
Alice Kaplan, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
Also included is a 13% increase in funding for the Department of Justice to focus on violent criminals and a $481 million increase in funding to enhance aviation safety and support an air traffic controller hiring surge.
—Lisa Mascaro, Arkansas Online, 4 Apr. 2026
Cases that are known to the public have laid bare some of the extreme measures criminals have taken to extract the victims’ funds.
—Megan Cassidy, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
The same country these students pledged allegiance to started hunting them down like criminals.
—Mary Ellen Klas, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2026
In 1933, the Department of Justice took over Alcatraz to open a maximum security prison for some of the nation's most dangerous criminals.
—Noe Padilla, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
Its cells held infamous criminals such as Al Capone, and several unsuccessful escape attempts captured public imagination.
—Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2026
Located on Alcatraz Island in the San Francisco Bay, it was known for housing the country’s most dangerous criminals.
—Zach Halaschak, The Washington Examiner, 3 Apr. 2026
Cyber criminals linked to Iran have accessed FBI Director Kash Patel's personal email account, sources familiar with the matter told CBS News.
—CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
Alice Kaplan, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026
Also included is a 13% increase in funding for the Department of Justice to focus on violent criminals and a $481 million increase in funding to enhance aviation safety and support an air traffic controller hiring surge.
—Lisa Mascaro, Arkansas Online, 4 Apr. 2026
Cases that are known to the public have laid bare some of the extreme measures criminals have taken to extract the victims’ funds.
—Megan Cassidy, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
The same country these students pledged allegiance to started hunting them down like criminals.
—Mary Ellen Klas, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2026
In 1933, the Department of Justice took over Alcatraz to open a maximum security prison for some of the nation's most dangerous criminals.
—Noe Padilla, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2026
Its cells held infamous criminals such as Al Capone, and several unsuccessful escape attempts captured public imagination.
—Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2026
Located on Alcatraz Island in the San Francisco Bay, it was known for housing the country’s most dangerous criminals.
—Zach Halaschak, The Washington Examiner, 3 Apr. 2026
Cyber criminals linked to Iran have accessed FBI Director Kash Patel's personal email account, sources familiar with the matter told CBS News.
—CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for criminals
offenders
Noun
-
Anyone can see how many cases are filed, how much attorneys collect, and who the worst offenders are.—
Tom Manzo,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 2026
-
Punish the worst offenders by requiring them to apologize, publicly, for missing the mark.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Criminals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/criminals. Accessed 8 Apr. 2026.
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