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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 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

His lacerating wit spares no member of his staff—a mix of true incompetents, off-putting savants, ticking time bombs, and onetime offenders prematurely consigned to professional purgatory.

— Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 Oct. 2026
Penalties increase if offenders cover their faces or someone is injured.

— ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of offenders

Noun

Also protect the email account associated with your Social Security profile because criminals may target it to reset other passwords.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Ford placed the inmate’s bid for clemency on the agenda of the state pardons board — an example, Lombardo claims, of the way Ford treats criminals.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Oct. 2026

Definition of criminals

Browse Nearby Words

culprit

culprits

cult

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Culprits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culprits. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of culprits

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

shindig

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes