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
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 culprits
All of the Penguins’ best players were the culprits.
—
Josh Yohe, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Adding teeth whitening toothpaste to your daily brushing routine is an excellent way to address discoloration caused by popular culprits such as coffee, wine and smoking.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
April is peak tree pollen season — oak, pine, mulberry and willow are the main culprits right now — with grass pollen starting to overlap in May per Zyrtec’s pollen guide, making the next several weeks one of the harder stretches for allergy-prone families.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026
April is peak tree pollen season — oak, pine, mulberry and willow are the main culprits right now — with grass pollen beginning to overlap in May.
—Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2026
It was later revealed that the culprits allegedly used a homemade bomb and a sledgehammer to break into the museum.
—Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
April is peak tree pollen season nationally, with oak, pine, mulberry and willow as the primary culprits.
—Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026
Of course, naming culprits often says more about the namer than the named.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2026
Because gluten is so pervasive, avoiding it isn't as simple as skipping obvious culprits.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026
Josh Yohe, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Adding teeth whitening toothpaste to your daily brushing routine is an excellent way to address discoloration caused by popular culprits such as coffee, wine and smoking.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
April is peak tree pollen season — oak, pine, mulberry and willow are the main culprits right now — with grass pollen starting to overlap in May per Zyrtec’s pollen guide, making the next several weeks one of the harder stretches for allergy-prone families.
—Allison Palmer, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026
April is peak tree pollen season — oak, pine, mulberry and willow are the main culprits right now — with grass pollen beginning to overlap in May.
—Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Apr. 2026
It was later revealed that the culprits allegedly used a homemade bomb and a sledgehammer to break into the museum.
—Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
April is peak tree pollen season nationally, with oak, pine, mulberry and willow as the primary culprits.
—Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026
Of course, naming culprits often says more about the namer than the named.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 21 Apr. 2026
Because gluten is so pervasive, avoiding it isn't as simple as skipping obvious culprits.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culprits
Noun
-
Court records show Abugharbieh entered into a diversion program for first-time offenders charged with misdemeanors.—
Holly Ramer,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Court records show Abugharbeih entered into a diversion program for first-time offenders charged with misdemeanors.—
Claudia Lauer,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Many of the toughest criminals taken into ICE custody were already in prison, but many others who were arrested have no criminal history.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
In the furthest part of space lies Dante 01, a detention facility that houses criminals who have committed the most shocking crimes imaginable.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Culprits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culprits. Accessed 29 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
