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
The first thing to do is to reduce the damage to the United States, the inflow of guns and criminals and immigrants and drugs into the United States, the destabilizing of a key part of the Western Hemisphere.
—
CBS News, 11 Jan. 2026
Also, place freezes with ChexSystems and the National Consumer Telecom and Utilities Exchange to stop criminals from opening bank accounts, phone lines, or utility services in his name.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 Jan. 2026
Victor assembles his Creature (Jacob Elordi) from the body parts of dead soldiers and executed criminals, but the monster fails to rise after electrocution — at first.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Jan. 2026
The trio has a surprisingly good theory about the implosion of the makeshift Astral Pulse; seems like Shroud never found the original, and someone has been outfitting low-level criminals with bootlegs that are going awry like Robert’s.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2025
The testimony law barring Black people from testifying against white people meant white criminals could, and did, rob and assault Black people with impunity.
—Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
The facility was upgraded to a maximum-security prison and began housing some of the state's most hardened criminals, including those transferred from other facilities.
—Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 4 Nov. 2025
Beccuau said the suspects charged so far appear to be petty criminals and blue-collar workers from northern Paris suburbs.
—ABC News, 3 Nov. 2025
The audacious daytime robbery of historical jewels worth $102 million from the Paris Louvre museum last month was executed by petty criminals, rather than professionals from the world of organised crime, the Paris prosecutor said on Sunday.
—Reuters, NBC news, 2 Nov. 2025
CBS News, 11 Jan. 2026
Also, place freezes with ChexSystems and the National Consumer Telecom and Utilities Exchange to stop criminals from opening bank accounts, phone lines, or utility services in his name.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 11 Jan. 2026
Victor assembles his Creature (Jacob Elordi) from the body parts of dead soldiers and executed criminals, but the monster fails to rise after electrocution — at first.
—Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Jan. 2026
The trio has a surprisingly good theory about the implosion of the makeshift Astral Pulse; seems like Shroud never found the original, and someone has been outfitting low-level criminals with bootlegs that are going awry like Robert’s.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 7 Nov. 2025
The testimony law barring Black people from testifying against white people meant white criminals could, and did, rob and assault Black people with impunity.
—Equal Justice Initiative, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
The facility was upgraded to a maximum-security prison and began housing some of the state's most hardened criminals, including those transferred from other facilities.
—Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 4 Nov. 2025
Beccuau said the suspects charged so far appear to be petty criminals and blue-collar workers from northern Paris suburbs.
—ABC News, 3 Nov. 2025
The audacious daytime robbery of historical jewels worth $102 million from the Paris Louvre museum last month was executed by petty criminals, rather than professionals from the world of organised crime, the Paris prosecutor said on Sunday.
—Reuters, NBC news, 2 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for criminals
offenders
Noun
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Changes in the law regarding youth offenders and subsequent court rulings led a San Diego Superior Court judge on Tuesday to find that Williams fit the criteria to be resentenced.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Jan. 2026
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Tierney blasted the parole system's handling of repeat violent offenders.—
Carolyn Gusoff,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Criminals.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/criminals. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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