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
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
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
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As the trend becomes increasingly widespread, criminals are turning to faster ways to procure cars for racing.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
17 Oct. 2025
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Instead, two wannabe criminals, with their faces obscured by pantyhose, simply walk into the local art museum and rip the paintings right off the walls.—
Haadiza Ogwude,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
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All colors change under different lights, but white is one of the biggest offenders due to its highly reflective quality.—
Sophie Flaxman,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Oct. 2025
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This approach will ensure that this tool is aimed at giving the worst offenders a financial incentive to operate by the same set of rules as the rest of us.—
Wes Burdine,
Twin Cities,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In Capitol Reef’s considerable backcountry–as in all underfunded national parks and monuments— staffing does not allow for constant patrolling to apprehend and ticket wrongdoers.—
Stephen Trimble,
Denver Post,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Their success obviously wasn't permanent, given Hocus Pocus 2 sees the villains return — but hey, almost 30 years of banishment is a pretty good run.—
Gwen Ihnat,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Oct. 2025
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Still, the Expos' downfall is not without its villains.—
Jon Paul Hoornstra,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Like Scorsese’s work, Miller’s documentary is both big and small, local and global, and dense with sinners and saints alike.—
Vulture Staff,
Vulture,
23 Sep. 2025
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These surreal, blood-red dioramas depict the gruesome punishments awaiting sinners in the Chinese Buddhist afterlife.—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Malefactors.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malefactors. Accessed 26 Oct. 2025.
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