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
Research suggests a few potential culprits, including environmental elements (like endocrine-disrupting chemicals used in products and packaging) and lifestyle factors, like broad trends toward being more sedentary and delaying having kids.
—
Erica Sloan, SELF, 1 Oct. 2025
Acuna believes there’s another culprit to blame for low turnout.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 1 Oct. 2025
Debris from missiles will likely point to the true culprit.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
And, frankly, James Comey is one of the main culprits in undermining the public's trust in agencies like the FBI.
—ABC News, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for culprit
Erica Sloan, SELF, 1 Oct. 2025
Acuna believes there’s another culprit to blame for low turnout.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 1 Oct. 2025
Debris from missiles will likely point to the true culprit.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 30 Sep. 2025
And, frankly, James Comey is one of the main culprits in undermining the public's trust in agencies like the FBI.
—ABC News, 28 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for culprit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culprit
Noun
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Many state and local leaders, including the governor, have argued the bed shortage and overcrowding lead to dangerous offenders being released early from prison, creating risks for the public.—
Penny Weaver,
Arkansas Online,
7 Oct. 2025
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According to Bates, there were between 5,000 and 6,000 such offenders in the city.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The show portrays Watkins introducing Gein to the story of Ilse Koch, a real-life Holocaust war criminal.—
JR Radcliffe,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
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On Tuesday, a total of 300 federal agents stormed a South Side apartment building that Department of Homeland Security officials say harbored criminals.—
Laura Daniella Sepulveda,
AZCentral.com,
4 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Culprit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culprit. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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