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
Because gluten is so pervasive, avoiding it isn't as simple as skipping obvious culprits.
—
Daryl Austin, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026
They're exposed to the elements, heavy footsteps, and potential pests all year—and one of the biggest culprits behind a patchy or bare lawn is compaction.
—Nishaa Sharma, The Spruce, 17 Apr. 2026
Magician Andi Gladwin leads an unlikely team of illusionists on an international caper to track down the culprits.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026
Shower Doors Glass shower doors are notorious culprits for giving an otherwise clean bathroom a less-than-sparkling look.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2026
The culprits, in his view, are the endocrine disruptors embedded in plastics, cosmetics, and above all pesticides, which a pregnant mother absorbs at levels that can affect not just her child but potentially her grandchildren.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026
Those tooth marks suggested the culprits couldn't be human.
—Michael H Gavshon, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026
This specific blend helps reduce oxidative stress and chronic low-grade inflammation, two primary culprits behind blood vessel damage.
—Lauren Manaker, SELF, 2 Apr. 2026
More common culprits include a high-salt diet, eczema, allergies and sleep position.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
Daryl Austin, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2026
They're exposed to the elements, heavy footsteps, and potential pests all year—and one of the biggest culprits behind a patchy or bare lawn is compaction.
—Nishaa Sharma, The Spruce, 17 Apr. 2026
Magician Andi Gladwin leads an unlikely team of illusionists on an international caper to track down the culprits.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Apr. 2026
Shower Doors Glass shower doors are notorious culprits for giving an otherwise clean bathroom a less-than-sparkling look.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2026
The culprits, in his view, are the endocrine disruptors embedded in plastics, cosmetics, and above all pesticides, which a pregnant mother absorbs at levels that can affect not just her child but potentially her grandchildren.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 12 Apr. 2026
Those tooth marks suggested the culprits couldn't be human.
—Michael H Gavshon, CBS News, 12 Apr. 2026
This specific blend helps reduce oxidative stress and chronic low-grade inflammation, two primary culprits behind blood vessel damage.
—Lauren Manaker, SELF, 2 Apr. 2026
More common culprits include a high-salt diet, eczema, allergies and sleep position.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culprits
Noun
-
He was convicted in 2019 at age 13 of assaulting another child at school with a hockey stick and placed under supervision of a local service for youth offenders.—
Brian Melley,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Apr. 2026
-
He was convicted in 2019, aged 13, of assaulting another child at school with a hockey stick and placed under supervision of a local service for youth offenders.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The scheme is designed to identify suspected criminals, combat identity fraud, and to police the EU's limit on 90-day stays within a 180-day period, according to the European Commission.—
Emma Clarke,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Rex Heuermann, the man known as the Gilgo Beach killer, admitted to killing eight women over a span of decades, and the FBI is now looking into what motivated the 62-year-old to carry out his crimes to help capture other criminals in the future.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Culprits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culprits. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.
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