Synonyms of defendants

defendants

noun

plural of defendant

as in offenders

a person who is being sued or accused of a crime in a court of law

The jury believed that the defendant was guilty.

Related Words

• offenders
• criminals
• suspects
• accused
• perpetrators
• culprits
• convicts
• arrestees
• detainees
• accomplices
• principals
• fish
• lawbreakers
• misdemeanants
• crooks
• malefactors
• miscreants
• outlaws
• desperadoes
• jailbirds
• villains
• wrongdoers
• trespassers
• perps
• racketeers
• gangsters
• thugs
• sinners
• mobsters
• hoodlums
• transgressors
• guns
• hooligans
• recidivists
• triggermen
• misdoers
• misfeasors
• evildoers
• gallows birds
• enforcers
• blackhanders
• backsliders
• gunmen
• button men
• gunsels
• hit men
• relapsers
• repeaters

Dissimilar Words

• lawmen
• gangbusters

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of defendants

In addition to profiting from prostitution, the defendants collected payments on the victims’ inflated smuggling debts. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026

Trump later pardoned or commuted the sentences of virtually all defendants involved in the riot. — Kevin Breuninger, CNBC, 16 July 2026

The suit named the fraternity, as well as several individual fraternity members, as defendants. — Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 15 July 2026

In July 2013, all five defendants agreed to plea bargains and received various sentences. — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026

The trial was conducted virtually and the defendants appeared on camera from their detention center — the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, a mega-prison built by the government of President Nayib Bukele. — Los Angeles Times, 15 July 2026

The court always allows the families of crime victims to speak in court before defendants are sentenced. — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026

Parker's convenience stores are among the defendants accused of selling alcohol to underage Paul Murdaugh before the fatal crash, and Matney was subpoenaed as a non-party witness. — Greg Wehner, FOXNews.com, 14 July 2026

An attorney representing the construction company has also denied the defendants’ allegations and could not be reached for comment Tuesday. — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 9 July 2026