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
Kennedy cited mold, food, pesticides, medicines, ultrasounds, and the age and health of parents as possible culprits.
—
Cheyenne Haslett, ABC News, 16 Apr. 2025
It’s been an intense back-and-forth over the past few months, with Trump accusing the EU of being among the worst culprits in its trade treatment of the U.S.
Tensions have been heating in recent weeks.
—Silvia Amaro, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025
But some researchers suggested that a lack of sleep isn’t the main culprit at all.
—Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 14 Apr. 2025
The most likely culprit for the increase in autism is better diagnostic and treatment tools for autism, which was long missed or misdiagnosed as mental retardation.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for culprit
Cheyenne Haslett, ABC News, 16 Apr. 2025
It’s been an intense back-and-forth over the past few months, with Trump accusing the EU of being among the worst culprits in its trade treatment of the U.S.
Tensions have been heating in recent weeks.
—Silvia Amaro, CNBC, 16 Apr. 2025
But some researchers suggested that a lack of sleep isn’t the main culprit at all.
—Olga Khazan, The Atlantic, 14 Apr. 2025
The most likely culprit for the increase in autism is better diagnostic and treatment tools for autism, which was long missed or misdiagnosed as mental retardation.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for culprit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culprit
Noun
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Reckless sanctuary city policies create a sanctuary for one class — criminals.—
Louis Casiano,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2025
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Trump has expressed support for Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele's maximum security prison, calling it an effective solution for U.S. criminals.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Culprit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culprit. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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