as in illegal
contrary to or forbidden by law
people should know with certainty that criminal behavior will be punished
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in offender
a person who has committed a crime
car thieves, pickpockets, burglars, and other criminals
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of criminal
Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2025
Legal experts said Schumer’s remarks, while ill advised, fell well short of criminal conduct.
—Jeremy Kohler, ProPublica, 24 Apr. 2025
Faith E. Pinho, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025
On April 15, nearly two weeks after McClellan was killed, police arrested 31-year-old Russell Phelps on charges of assisting a criminal in committing murder and obstruction of justice, records show.
—Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for criminal
Adjective
Participants must be Naperville high school students or entering a Naperville high school in the fall and be in good standing with no criminal contacts, the release said.
—Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2025
Legal experts said Schumer’s remarks, while ill advised, fell well short of criminal conduct.
—Jeremy Kohler, ProPublica, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
It is tasked with a broad range of actions — hunting fugitives, transporting federal prisoners and managing goods seized from criminals.
—Faith E. Pinho, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025
On April 15, nearly two weeks after McClellan was killed, police arrested 31-year-old Russell Phelps on charges of assisting a criminal in committing murder and obstruction of justice, records show.
—Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 23 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for criminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for criminal
Adjective
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Louisville police say anything that goes into the air or explodes is illegal for average citizens.—
James Bruggers,
The Courier-Journal,
5 July 2017
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Official fireworks shows took place over the city, and illegal pyrotechnics lit up the sky everywhere in between.—
Lisa Beebe,
Los Angeles Magazine,
5 July 2017
Adjective
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Of note: Your Content must not be false, defamatory, misleading or hateful, or infringe any copyright or any other third-party rights or otherwise be unlawful.—
Catherine Pearson,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
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That month, Drummond sued the board directly in the Oklahoma Supreme Court and asked it to rescind the charter contract and declare St. Isidore's establishment as a charter school unlawful.—
Melissa Quinn,
CBS News,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The proximity, combined with the abundance of recreational boats, makes illicit travel hard to detect, Brown explained.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
22 Apr. 2025
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Drug overdoses have plagued California, as fentanyl — a synthetic opioid 100 times more potent than heroin — is often mixed in with other illicit street drugs.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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She has been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon (felonious assault), first-degree vulnerable adult abuse and assault or assault and battery.—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
28 Apr. 2025
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Jones-Ogletree, who also goes by Darnell Ogletree, is charged with murder, felonious assault and abduction.—
Jenna Sundel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Knox, a Seattle native who advocates against wrongful convictions, has known Pearl Jam for years.—
Brenna Ehrlich,
Rolling Stone,
17 Apr. 2025
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Bukele is seen by some as a Trump-like figure for his crackdown on gangs, which has led to a dramatic plunge in crime in El Salvador while also provoking questions about his tactics and concerns about wrongful imprisonments.—
Jonathan Easley,
The Hill,
14 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Criminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/criminal. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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