as in offenders
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 culprits
The true culprits are the millions of Americans who simply remain neutral when democracy is threatened.
—
Matthew E.k. Hall, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2026
Mohammad Shukri, Syrian minister of religious affairs, visited the tent in the Rukneddine neighborhood and said the country's new government is making sure that the culprits are held accountable.
—ABC News, 3 June 2026
To access the internet in remote areas, the culprits can buy and install Starlink dishes that receive high-speed internet from orbiting satellites, rather than traditional fiber lines or cell towers.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 3 June 2026
Add Insulation Insulation may also be one of the culprits that's overheating your garage, especially since garages usually aren't insulated all the way around.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 2 June 2026
The culprits were pandemic-era supply chain bottlenecks, high demand fueled by massive fiscal stimulus, and then the Russia-Ukraine war spiking energy prices.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 June 2026
His phone records aided police in identifying additional culprits.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 2 June 2026
One of the latest culprits of online panic has arrived in the form of a peace sign selfie.
—Lauren Fichten, CBS News, 1 June 2026
This can occur with or without skin markings, which may be mistaken for seemingly benign culprits like bug bites or an allergic reaction.
—Alyssa Sparacino, Glamour, 29 May 2026
Matthew E.k. Hall, Chicago Tribune, 6 June 2026
Mohammad Shukri, Syrian minister of religious affairs, visited the tent in the Rukneddine neighborhood and said the country's new government is making sure that the culprits are held accountable.
—ABC News, 3 June 2026
To access the internet in remote areas, the culprits can buy and install Starlink dishes that receive high-speed internet from orbiting satellites, rather than traditional fiber lines or cell towers.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 3 June 2026
Add Insulation Insulation may also be one of the culprits that's overheating your garage, especially since garages usually aren't insulated all the way around.
—Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 2 June 2026
The culprits were pandemic-era supply chain bottlenecks, high demand fueled by massive fiscal stimulus, and then the Russia-Ukraine war spiking energy prices.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 June 2026
His phone records aided police in identifying additional culprits.
—Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 2 June 2026
One of the latest culprits of online panic has arrived in the form of a peace sign selfie.
—Lauren Fichten, CBS News, 1 June 2026
This can occur with or without skin markings, which may be mistaken for seemingly benign culprits like bug bites or an allergic reaction.
—Alyssa Sparacino, Glamour, 29 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culprits
Noun
-
Some offenders already are barred, including those convicted of first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
Florida prosecutes children as adults for serious crimes and sends juvenile offenders to adult prisons at higher rates than any other state.—
Jay Blitzman,
The Conversation,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Russian athletes are routinely asked to answer for the actions of their government, yet athletes from other countries are rarely subjected to the same scrutiny or treated as though they are personally aligned with war criminals or dictators.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 June 2026
-
Rafay Baloch, a cybersecurity expert and author of the book Web Hacking Arsenal, says that criminals specifically look for travelers who appear disoriented.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Culprits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culprits. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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