as in criminal
a person who has committed a crime
juvenile offenders have their criminal records sealed when they turn 18
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 offender
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
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
The two male offenders stood with their parents and attorneys and were given the opportunity to speak at the beginning and end, but both declined.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
She is also charged as a habitual offender, according to prosecutors.
—Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 25 Mar. 2026
Rogers, the prisoners’ rights advocate, said the result is going to be longer prison sentences for people convicted of minor crimes, with more serious offenders already serving more time before being paroled.
—Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2026
Speed cameras do not deter armed offenders, identify suspects or enable faster police response.
—Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Several of the worst offenders were in their 30s.
—Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2026
Ultimately, the council unanimously agreed to go with city staff’s new, higher fee recommendations for third-, fourth- and fifth-time offenders, but went with more than the recommendation for locations with six or more false alarm calls in a 12-month period.
—Barbara Henry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Bloomberg, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
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
The two male offenders stood with their parents and attorneys and were given the opportunity to speak at the beginning and end, but both declined.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026
She is also charged as a habitual offender, according to prosecutors.
—Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 25 Mar. 2026
Rogers, the prisoners’ rights advocate, said the result is going to be longer prison sentences for people convicted of minor crimes, with more serious offenders already serving more time before being paroled.
—Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2026
Speed cameras do not deter armed offenders, identify suspects or enable faster police response.
—Chicago Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Several of the worst offenders were in their 30s.
—Peter Wehner, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2026
Ultimately, the council unanimously agreed to go with city staff’s new, higher fee recommendations for third-, fourth- and fifth-time offenders, but went with more than the recommendation for locations with six or more false alarm calls in a 12-month period.
—Barbara Henry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for offender
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
-
In their latest motion, Zeigler’s attorneys say that Marques’ and other judges over the years have overlooked Felton Thomas and Edward Williams — two Black laborers who testified against Zeigler at his 1976 trial — as culprits.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 Mar. 2026
-
The unnamed culprit throughout the conference was Nvidia, which recently got approval from both governments to sell advanced AI chips to China.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Offender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/offender. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
