CULPRIT Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

culprit

noun

ˈkəl-prət

Definition of culprit

as in offender

a person who has committed a crime the police caught the culprit a mere two blocks from the scene of the crime

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of culprit Then secrets emerge about Chan-yeong, a 12-year-old boy the family has only ever seen as the culprit, and the case swerves. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026 Jimmy Uso was the culprit who cost Knight the title at Crown Jewel in 2023. — Ryan Gaydos Outkick, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026 Researchers looked at a wide range of possible culprits behind neck pain, including demographic, occupational, lifestyle, postural, technology and psychological factors. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026 If the household has a stronger funk lately, the culprit may be sitting in the pantry, not the laundry basket. — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for culprit

Recent Examples of Synonyms for culprit

Noun

Research on offenders with mental disorders suggests that recidivism depends more on criminal history than on diagnosis.

— Leigh Egan, FOXNews.com, 16 Oct. 2026
At the root of the crisis is inadequate laws to punish offenders and a poor judicial system, activists say.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of offender

Noun

That same month, criminals nabbed a $4 million diamond necklace from Vienna’s Museum of Applied Arts (MAK).

— Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026
For decades, Hollywood actor Danny Trejo’s bread and butter was playing gangsters, prison inmates and other assorted criminals.

— Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of criminal

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culpable

culprit

culprits

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“Culprit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culprit. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of culprit

noun

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