as in offenders
formal
a person who continues to commit crimes even after being caught and punished
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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
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
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Those players were found guilty of tax evasion but avoided prison time thanks to a provision that allows a judge to waive sentences under two years in length for first-time offenders.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 May 2026
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Now, a new dashboard shows the worst offenders.—
Jack Flemming,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
Noun
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For more than two decades, legal cannabis operators paid taxes under a provision written to punish criminals.—
Javier Hasse,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
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The council vote comes at a time when the Parole Board has allowed the release from prison of dozens of criminals convicted of violent felonies, including first-degree murder.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
20 May 2026
Noun
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Recidivists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recidivists. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
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