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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Court records show Abugharbieh entered into a diversion program for first-time offenders charged with misdemeanors.—
Holly Ramer,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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Court records show Abugharbeih entered into a diversion program for first-time offenders charged with misdemeanors.—
Claudia Lauer,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Lamont and other Democrats said the raises were well deserved because the state needs to recruit workers for difficult jobs that include prison guards dealing with dangerous criminals and social workers dealing with troubled families in the state Department of Children and Families.—
Christopher Keating,
Hartford Courant,
2 May 2026
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And too often, these criminals stay one step ahead of law enforcement.—
Chris Spear,
New York Daily News,
30 Apr. 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 4 May. 2026.
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