RECIDIVISTS Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

recidivists

noun

plural of recidivist

as in offenders

formal a person who continues to commit crimes even after being caught and punished

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 recidivists Within the Moreton Bay area, a penal settlement for colonial recidivists was founded at Brisbane, followed by other penal establishments at Ipswich and on Stradbroke Island. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026 Gerald Ford, who was President during the peak of the arson wave, publicly mentioned the Bronx just once, to go by the American Presidency Project, and that was to commend Merola’s office for locking up recidivists. — Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for recidivists

Noun

Numerous programs are being implemented to attempt to reduce the probability of recidivism through education and counseling and to reintegrate offenders into society.

— Ronald J. Allen, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2026
Ireland has approved landmark legislation to create the country’s first public register of domestic violence offenders, in a move campaigners say will empower people to check whether a potential partner has a history of violence.

— Kara Fox, CNN Money, 17 July 2026

Definition of offenders

Noun

California has some of the nation’s toughest gun laws, but state lawmakers are concerned that a new technology is allowing criminals to obtain firearms by building them from scratch.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2026
This lengthy process was typical of ICE’s previous procedures to track down criminals, Sandweg said, which may have shifted under the demands of this administration’s daily arrest goals.

— Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 18 July 2026

Definition of criminals

Noun

Rollins is running for a job in justice, ostensibly to uphold the law and hold lawbreakers accountable.

— Boston Herald editorial staff, Boston Herald, 10 Apr. 2026
Pinecrest police ends the Facebook post warning other neighbors in the area to stay vigilant, and for potential lawbreakers to stay far away.

— Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2026

Definition of lawbreakers

Browse Nearby Words

recidivist

recidivists

recipe

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Recidivists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recidivists. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of recidivists

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

stalwart

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes