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
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
Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recidivists
Noun
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Responding officers placed both offenders into custody.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
28 Feb. 2026
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Products that heat or continuously disperse fragrance (including traditional plug-in air fresheners) may be the worst offenders.—
Allison Hatfield,
Dallas Morning News,
25 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Whenever there is American resolve, global criminals weaken.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
28 Feb. 2026
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And whenever America is determined, global criminals weaken.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Feb. 2026
Noun
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In similar manner, the true lawbreakers when innocent folks were brought to our shores between 1808 and 1865 were not the victims themselves.—
Walter E Block,
Oc Register,
24 Feb. 2026
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Meanwhile, municipal courts around the state are adjusting to a new normal after the Colorado Supreme Court ruled in December that cities cannot punish lawbreakers beyond what state statute would allow for the same offenses.—
Sam Tabachnik,
Denver Post,
15 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Recidivists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recidivists. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.
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