as in offender
a person who has committed a crime
the police caught the culprit a mere two blocks from the scene of the crime
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Recent Examples of culprit
Worn shoes are a sneaky culprit behind foot pain and even pain that might seem unrelated to your feet.
—
Angela Haupt, Time, 15 May 2026
Fungal infections, leaf spot diseases, scale insects, and spider mites are among the most common culprits.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 15 May 2026
The biggest culprit is, no surprise, gasoline.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 15 May 2026
The Iran war is the culprit behind the recent inflation spike.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for culprit
Angela Haupt, Time, 15 May 2026
Fungal infections, leaf spot diseases, scale insects, and spider mites are among the most common culprits.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 15 May 2026
The biggest culprit is, no surprise, gasoline.
—Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 15 May 2026
The Iran war is the culprit behind the recent inflation spike.
—Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for culprit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culprit
Noun
-
My office will continue to work alongside law enforcement partners like the Antioch Police Department to hold armed offenders accountable and pursue justice on behalf of all those harmed.—
Carlos E. Castañeda,
CBS News,
8 May 2026
-
Lawrence Reed is a lifetime offender who was put on an ankle monitor.—
Michael Tobin,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
When unhoused people are treated as criminals, they are pushed into an identity of exclusion rather than belonging.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
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Set in Gaza in 2007, and following the misadventures of a student (Nader Abd Alhay) and restaurant owner and petty criminal (Majd Eid), the picture premiered in Un Certain Regard last year and won the Best Director prize.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Culprit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culprit. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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