as in illegal
contrary to or forbidden by law
people should know with certainty that criminal behavior will be punished
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of criminal
Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2025
Critical national infrastructure is being targeted across Western nations by various cyber-criminal and hacktivist groups, as well as state actors.
—Brian Walsh, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Christina Newland, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Advertisement The capture in Goa Given his previous experience with the criminal, Zende was assigned to lead the operation to recapture him.
—Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for criminal
Adjective
According to a criminal complaint, Briceno, whom authorities said is an undocumented immigrant, used a firearm to shoot inside the doorway of the bar and then discarded the firearm, which law enforcement never recovered.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2025
Critical national infrastructure is being targeted across Western nations by various cyber-criminal and hacktivist groups, as well as state actors.
—Brian Walsh, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
With its buzzy energy and sympathetic — if bumbling — criminals, Lumet withholds crucial information from the viewer until the final portion of the film.
—Christina Newland, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2025
Advertisement The capture in Goa Given his previous experience with the criminal, Zende was assigned to lead the operation to recapture him.
—Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for criminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for criminal
Adjective
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Louisville police say anything that goes into the air or explodes is illegal for average citizens.—
James Bruggers,
The Courier-Journal,
5 July 2017
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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
Noun
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Biden’s autopen signature was used to issue major clemency orders in the final two months of his term that affected more than 4,000 individuals, including drug offenders and those placed on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Lauren Green,
The Washington Examiner,
9 Sep. 2025
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Produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Wolf Entertainment, Law & Order examines the criminal justice system and tells the stories of the police who investigate crime and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Green, of Jackson Township, has been charged with murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon in connection with Reid's death, according to Billhimer.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025
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The world’s highest court, the International Court of Justice, has ruled that there is a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza, and that Israel’s occupation and apartheid against Palestinians are unlawful.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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For Missouri, 2022 was such a deadly year — 43 children under the age of 18 died from the illicit drug — that former DSS director Robert Knodell created the Fentanyl Case Review Subcommittee, which was a panel of experts who studied those cases.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
7 Sep. 2025
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Despite being legal, the illicit market is thriving, with only 38% of the cannabis consumed in California coming from licensed growers, according to a 2024 report released by the state Department of Cannabis Control.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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One man involved is both considered a victim of felonious assault and has been charged with disorderly conduct.—
Kevin Grasha,
The Enquirer,
29 Aug. 2025
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Both men face felonious breaking and entering charges and remain in custody at the Hamilton County Justice Center.—
David Ferrara,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
24 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Brown’s family brought a wrongful-death lawsuit against the city and reached a settlement in 2017.—
Susannah Cullinane,
CNN Money,
8 Sep. 2025
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For another, the Leonard situation involves a separate, non-Clippers company, Aspiration, that would be the wrongful payer; with Smith, the Timberwolves were the payer.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Criminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/criminal. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
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