as in illegal
contrary to or forbidden by law
people should know with certainty that criminal behavior will be punished
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in offender
a person who has committed a crime
car thieves, pickpockets, burglars, and other criminals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of criminal
Miami Herald, 13 July 2025
This panel will examine mass incarceration through multiple lenses and how the criminal justice system serves as a point of crisis of public health, black wealth building, voter disenfranchisement, and family structure.
—Essence, 6 July 2025
Mike Bezemek, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 July 2025
From 1968 to 2013, fewer than 150 people lost their citizenship, mostly war criminals who had hidden their past.
—Cassandra Burke Robertson, The Conversation, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for criminal
Adjective
Trump built his Venezuela policy during his first term around sanctions, oil freezes, and criminal indictments — earning loyal support from Miami’s exile community.
—Miami Herald, 13 July 2025
This panel will examine mass incarceration through multiple lenses and how the criminal justice system serves as a point of crisis of public health, black wealth building, voter disenfranchisement, and family structure.
—Essence, 6 July 2025
Noun
Bodies regularly turned up, typically swept here by floods but sometimes dumped by criminals.
—Mike Bezemek, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 July 2025
From 1968 to 2013, fewer than 150 people lost their citizenship, mostly war criminals who had hidden their past.
—Cassandra Burke Robertson, The Conversation, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for criminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for criminal
Adjective
-
Louisville police say anything that goes into the air or explodes is illegal for average citizens.—
James Bruggers,
The Courier-Journal,
5 July 2017
-
Official fireworks shows took place over the city, and illegal pyrotechnics lit up the sky everywhere in between.—
Lisa Beebe,
Los Angeles Magazine,
5 July 2017
Adjective
-
First, opponents argued that the rule was unlawful and that Congress would need to amend the statute to implement the changes proposed by DHS in its rule.—
Stuart Anderson,
Forbes.com,
21 July 2025
-
He was arrested at 12:22 a.m. Friday for misdemeanor unlawful speeding and driving under the influence, a first-degree misdemeanor.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
19 July 2025
Adjective
-
And the same evidence that linked children to biological relatives could spur a criminal case against their adoptive parents, some of whom had ties to the military and its illicit actions.—
Julia M. Klein,
The Atlantic,
11 July 2025
-
In Sarasota, Hoffman told reporters an illicit casino in his jurisdiction also refused to pay a woman who reportedly won a $4,000 jackpot.—
Josh Salman,
Miami Herald,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
Troy Lincoln, a 55-year-old worker for the Detroit Department of Transportation, was charged with assault with intent to murder, assault with intent to do great bodily harm and felonious assault, the Wayne County prosecutor’s office said in a July 4 news release.—
Kate Linderman,
Kansas City Star,
7 July 2025
-
Brewer’s facing additional charges in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court, including felonious assault.—
Quinlan Bentley,
The Enquirer,
3 July 2025
Adjective
-
Changes came with fallout: Some physicians have quit, one high-level doctor sued for wrongful termination (but lost the challenge), and a Memorial board member resigned.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
17 July 2025
-
Some of the aides later filed a wrongful termination lawsuit, prompting a Texas House investigation into a request Paxton made for the state Legislature to fund a $3.3 million settlement to resolve the lawsuit.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Criminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/criminal. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share