fugitive from justice

noun

: a person (such as a criminal suspect or witness) who tries to elude law enforcement especially by fleeing the jurisdiction : fugitive
… when I declare myself as her counsel, I have to surrender her or be charged with harboring a fugitive from justice.—James M. Cain

Examples of fugitive from justice in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Hunt was taken into custody and charged as a fugitive from justice. — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 15 May 2026 She was booked into her rural county’s jail as a fugitive from justice from North Dakota. — Tasha Carvell, Twin Cities, 6 May 2026 Lipps was arrested in Carter County, Tennessee, and held as a fugitive from justice. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 May 2026 MacAusland was taken into custody by Bennington Police as a fugitive from justice. — Penny Kmitt, CBS News, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fugitive from justice

Word History

First Known Use

1735, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fugitive from justice was in 1735

Rhymes for fugitive from justice

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Browse Nearby Words

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fugitive from justice
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Cite this Entry

“Fugitive from justice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fugitive%20from%20justice. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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