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
Tamia Fowlkes, jsonline.com, 9 Nov. 2025
The debate over lasting solutions reveals the complexity of how criminal organizations have grown so powerful, weaving themselves into nearly every layer of Brazilian society over time.
—Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
Elie Mystal, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
When criticizing the leader becomes a crime, being a criminal becomes an obligation.
—Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for criminal
Adjective
Three of the 40 men interviewed by the New York Times faced criminal accusations beyond immigration and traffic offenses.
—Tamia Fowlkes, jsonline.com, 9 Nov. 2025
The debate over lasting solutions reveals the complexity of how criminal organizations have grown so powerful, weaving themselves into nearly every layer of Brazilian society over time.
—Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2025
Noun
The United States of America is a rogue nation, run by a violent criminal who operates outside the rule of law.
—Elie Mystal, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
When criticizing the leader becomes a crime, being a criminal becomes an obligation.
—Adam Serwer, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
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
Noun
-
Boardman imposed a sentence of 97 months, citing Roske’s mental health and concerns about incarceration conditions and his status as a first-time criminal offender.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Since 2013, the law has allowed juvenile offenders serving life without parole to petition to have their sentence recalled and to be resentenced.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Troopers also seized an unregistered gun and ammunition from Cook, who is charged with trafficking 200 grams or more of cocaine, as well as unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
6 Jan. 2026
-
But once those moratoriums ended in 2023, unlawful detainers (a type of notice that can lead to eviction) doubled from June 2022 to June 2023.—
Saumya Roy,
The Dial,
6 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Drug-trafficking networks with links to transnational cartels are active along Ecuador’s coast and have used fishermen and their small boats to transport illicit shipments, according to local police.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
12 Jan. 2026
-
On the DeFi front, crypto advocates are fighting to ensure developers do not face prosecution when their technology is used for illicit activities like money laundering.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Lindsay is charged with two counts of assault with intent to murder, two counts of assault with intent to do great bodily harm, two counts of felonious assault and six counts of felony firearm in connection with the shooting, the prosecutor's office said in a news release.—
Nick Lentz,
CBS News,
4 Jan. 2026
-
James Brown, 58, is charged in Hamilton County Municipal Court with three counts of felonious assault, court records show.—
Quinlan Bentley,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
26 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
This, in turn, reinforced Webster’s own initial claim about his fight with the MPD cop—that Rathbun had provoked the encounter by striking him in the head, then lied about it to counter Webster’s righteous assertion of self-defense, resulting in his wrongful conviction.—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
-
For healthcare, Senate Democrats will file bills to cap insulin at $35 per month, require insurers to pass cost savings to patients, reform Medicaid redetermination and access to prevent wrongful coverage loss and address medical debt, Pol said.—
Maya Wilkins,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Criminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/criminal. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share