as in offenders
a person who has committed a crime
the police caught the culprit a mere two blocks from the scene of the crime
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of culprits
Here are seven common culprits and tips to bring life into your living room.
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Anyssa Roberts, The Spruce, 12 Jan. 2026
Scroll on to discover the most common culprits behind missing socks—plus, how to keep them together in the first place.
—Katie Cloyd, Martha Stewart, 5 Jan. 2026
Though Cher, Bell and Shepard never named the culprits, in November 2010 The Hollywood Reporter published a report that director Steven Antin and Screen Gems president Clint Culpepper, a longtime couple, had collaborated on the film.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
Analyses documenting why there is an exodus of people and businesses from the state consistently cite the same culprits.
—Wayne Winegarden, Oc Register, 4 Jan. 2026
The culprits were Gen Zers fawning over how cute cozy Snoopy was, often on social media.
—Malia Mendez, Twin Cities, 4 Jan. 2026
Perhaps good writers/speakers could carry lassos, rope the culprits in, and teach them proper English!
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 2 Jan. 2026
The culprits that can trigger a sore throat include rhinoviruses (the most common cause of colds), influenza, coronavirus and respiratory syncytial virus.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Dec. 2025
The worst culprits are creeping Charlie, dandelions, and plantains.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 28 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culprits
Noun
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Changes in the law regarding youth offenders and subsequent court rulings led a San Diego Superior Court judge on Tuesday to find that Williams fit the criteria to be resentenced.—
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Tierney blasted the parole system's handling of repeat violent offenders.—
Noun
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The first thing to do is to reduce the damage to the United States, the inflow of guns and criminals and immigrants and drugs into the United States, the destabilizing of a key part of the Western Hemisphere.—
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Also, place freezes with ChexSystems and the National Consumer Telecom and Utilities Exchange to stop criminals from opening bank accounts, phone lines, or utility services in his name.—
Cite this Entry
“Culprits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culprits. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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