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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 culprit
Duah points out that while estrogen and histamine are connected, histamine isn’t considered a primary driver of perimenopause—research points to neurotransmitter activity as the main culprit behind brain fog, sleep disturbances and hot flashes.
—
Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 29 May 2026
The five culprits aren’t a checklist to conquer—they’re a diagnostic to return to, again and again, as life rearranges itself.
—Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
The team began sorting through possible origins for this high-energy neutrino particle by acting like cosmic forensic detectives, classifying the detection of the particle as a crime scene and hunting for potential clues that point toward a culprit.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 28 May 2026
The Postpartum Hormone Plunge The primary culprit behind this sudden desert-dry texture is the dramatic hormonal nosedive that occurs immediately after childbirth.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for culprit
Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 29 May 2026
The five culprits aren’t a checklist to conquer—they’re a diagnostic to return to, again and again, as life rearranges itself.
—Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
The team began sorting through possible origins for this high-energy neutrino particle by acting like cosmic forensic detectives, classifying the detection of the particle as a crime scene and hunting for potential clues that point toward a culprit.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 28 May 2026
The Postpartum Hormone Plunge The primary culprit behind this sudden desert-dry texture is the dramatic hormonal nosedive that occurs immediately after childbirth.
—Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for culprit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culprit
Noun
-
California Highway Patrol officers are assigned to the Express Lanes and those toll roads and can certainly see expired tags and choose to pull over offenders.—
Jim Radcliffe,
Oc Register,
29 May 2026
-
Davis was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder and possession of a weapon by a previous offender.—
Katie Langford,
Denver Post,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
The bigger issue is that many systems still rely on information criminals may already have, such as birthdays, addresses and partial Social Security numbers.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
30 May 2026
-
Iowa Republicans responded by branding Roberts a criminal and calling for an investigation of the district’s hiring practices.—
Corky Siemaszko,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Culprit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culprit. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
