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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Some offenders already are barred, including those convicted of first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
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Florida prosecutes children as adults for serious crimes and sends juvenile offenders to adult prisons at higher rates than any other state.—
Jay Blitzman,
The Conversation,
8 June 2026
Noun
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Russian athletes are routinely asked to answer for the actions of their government, yet athletes from other countries are rarely subjected to the same scrutiny or treated as though they are personally aligned with war criminals or dictators.—
Jon Root OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 June 2026
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Rafay Baloch, a cybersecurity expert and author of the book Web Hacking Arsenal, says that criminals specifically look for travelers who appear disoriented.—
Christopher Elliott,
Forbes.com,
6 June 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 11 Jun. 2026.
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