CULPRITS Synonyms: 52 Similar and Opposite Words

culprits

noun

plural of culprit

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

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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 culprits 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 The two-part November 13, Sonia’s Choice recounts the true story of a woman at the heart of the hunt for the culprits of the Paris terror attacks on November 13, 2015, who is now living in hiding. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 24 Sep. 2026 The culprits are Aedes aegypti, primarily daytime biters that thrive in urban and suburban areas and breed in flowerpots, buckets and other smaller containers, said Steve Harrison, manager of Orange County Mosquito Control. — Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Sep. 2026 Town staff have raced to try and save the trees, but local law enforcement has so far been unable to identify the culprits. — Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026 There are a handful of culprits that Stein usually sees that tend to dull the whiteness of your tiles. — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 12 Sep. 2026 Rust Rings While food and liquids don’t typically stain the non-porous surface of a fireclay sink, pots and pans are more likely culprits. — Blythe Copeland, Martha Stewart, 10 Sep. 2026 Indeed, the series can be watched by both children and their parents, who can have fun trying to figure out who the culprits are together. — Kevin Giraud, Variety, 10 Sep. 2026 But for thousands who still mourn, especially in the New York region on the 25th anniversary, such fundamental concerns about identifying the victims, counting the dead and finding the culprits is the equivalent of an open wound. — Mike Kelly, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for culprits

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 offenders

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 criminals

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culprit

culprits

cult

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

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Synonyms of culprits

noun

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