Synonyms of culprit

culprit

noun

ˈkəl-prət 

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

• offender
• criminal
• defendant
• lawbreaker
• perpetrator
• suspect
• malefactor
• miscreant
• crook
• accomplice
• principal
• villain
• perp
• convict
• outlaw
• wrongdoer
• misdemeanant
• thug
• trespasser
• transgressor
• desperado
• gun
• gangster
• jailbird
• triggerman
• fish
• sinner
• hooligan
• hoodlum
• mobster
• racketeer
• recidivist
• accused
• evildoer
• arrestee
• misdoer
• detainee
• backslider
• button man
• misfeasor
• gunsel
• gallows bird
• gunman
• enforcer
• hit man
• repeater
• blackhander
• relapser

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• lawman
• gangbuster

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of culprit

Perhaps the biggest culprits in kitchen cabinetry are common stock items, such as cleaning supplies and trash bags. — Sheila Kim, The Spruce, 26 Aug. 2026

If those aren’t to blame, perimenopause just might be the culprit — and lifestyle changes may help. — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 26 Aug. 2026

When Estrada finally landed one of the culprits, the 18-inch round, silver fish had a massive set of gnarly chompers. — Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 26 Aug. 2026

Using metagenomics, DeRisi’s team, in collaboration with the California Fish and Wildlife agency, identified the culprit as Miamiensis avidus, a parasite not previously known to infect leopard sharks. — Jason Liebowitz, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2026

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