1
as in criminals
a person who commits moral wrongs
she regards anyone who would cause the breakup of a family as a malefactor of the worst sort
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in offenders
a person who has committed a crime
the victim was able to give a clear description of the malefactor to the police
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of malefactors
Electronic medical records were once touted as secure, but whole hospital systems have been taken down and held for ransom by malefactors.
—
Cory Franklin, Twin Cities, 23 Nov. 2025
The Sea of Excrement, with its bobbing malefactors, is especially memorable.
—New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
On social media, Tan was pugilistic to the point of belligerence, casting his political enemies as corrupt malefactors responsible for the despoliation of his beloved city.
—Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
Either way, The Lowdown finds Harjo dipping into pleasantly familiar reservoirs of fiction in which the protagonists know how to take a constant beating, the malefactors are all suspiciously verbose and ostentatious hats abound.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Cory Franklin, Twin Cities, 23 Nov. 2025
The Sea of Excrement, with its bobbing malefactors, is especially memorable.
—New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
On social media, Tan was pugilistic to the point of belligerence, casting his political enemies as corrupt malefactors responsible for the despoliation of his beloved city.
—Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
Either way, The Lowdown finds Harjo dipping into pleasantly familiar reservoirs of fiction in which the protagonists know how to take a constant beating, the malefactors are all suspiciously verbose and ostentatious hats abound.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malefactors
Noun
-
Cyber criminals linked to Iran have accessed FBI Director Kash Patel's personal email account, sources familiar with the matter told CBS News.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
That convenience also gives criminals a perfect disguise.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Holmes qualified for the reduced term under a 2023 rule change allowing first-time offenders to do less time for some non-violent crimes, according to an order issued Thursday by the federal judge who sentenced her in 2022 for defrauding investors in her blood-testing startup.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
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And many Democrats see it as an effort to curb more liberal prosecutors who have embraced restorative justice policies, including steering nonviolent offenders away from prison sentences or taking more lax approaches to drug offenses.—
Riley Bunch,
AJC.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
He’s talked tough in news conferences about prosecuting child predators, drug traffickers and assorted wrongdoers.—
Dan Sullivan,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
-
For now, his office is limited to civil actions against wrongdoers and passing information to the receiver and state and federal prosecutors.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
In fact, the pointed hoods of nazarenos are inspired by clothes used to shame sinners during the Spanish Inquisition.—
Alexis Marshall,
NPR,
3 Apr. 2026
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In the comments, Ivey argued with fans using Bible verses and accused several of being sinners for their beliefs and lifestyles.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But CFCs, the solution to an earlier problem, turned out to be villains in disguise.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
31 Mar. 2026
-
These measures are politically popular and ultra-wealthy Big Tech chiefs are easy villains.—
Catherine Thorbecke,
Twin Cities,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Malefactors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malefactors. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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