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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of culprits
This specific blend helps reduce oxidative stress and chronic low-grade inflammation, two primary culprits behind blood vessel damage.
—
Lauren Manaker, SELF, 2 Apr. 2026
More common culprits include a high-salt diet, eczema, allergies and sleep position.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
Rather than any single food group, the culprits were not enough protective elements such as omega-3 fatty acids found in seafood and or the fiber, fruits, and vegetables in healthy diets.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 31 Mar. 2026
In their latest motion, Zeigler’s attorneys say that Marques’ and other judges over the years have overlooked Felton Thomas and Edward Williams — two Black laborers who testified against Zeigler at his 1976 trial — as culprits.
—Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
The primary culprits behind the latest mortgage rate surge are familiar, if newly intensified.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
The court case involving the Francoist throwback police culprits became a show trial for Spain’s young democracy.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
But when someone ends up dead, the trip shifts to culprits and cover-ups.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
The most common culprits include chemical treatments and exposure (think blow-drying, heat-styling, perming, keratin treatments, bleaching, and all types of hair coloring), drying or stripping hair products, and infrequent haircuts.
—Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 23 Mar. 2026
Lauren Manaker, SELF, 2 Apr. 2026
More common culprits include a high-salt diet, eczema, allergies and sleep position.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 1 Apr. 2026
Rather than any single food group, the culprits were not enough protective elements such as omega-3 fatty acids found in seafood and or the fiber, fruits, and vegetables in healthy diets.
—Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 31 Mar. 2026
In their latest motion, Zeigler’s attorneys say that Marques’ and other judges over the years have overlooked Felton Thomas and Edward Williams — two Black laborers who testified against Zeigler at his 1976 trial — as culprits.
—Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Mar. 2026
The primary culprits behind the latest mortgage rate surge are familiar, if newly intensified.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
The court case involving the Francoist throwback police culprits became a show trial for Spain’s young democracy.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026
But when someone ends up dead, the trip shifts to culprits and cover-ups.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 25 Mar. 2026
The most common culprits include chemical treatments and exposure (think blow-drying, heat-styling, perming, keratin treatments, bleaching, and all types of hair coloring), drying or stripping hair products, and infrequent haircuts.
—Danielle Sinay, Glamour, 23 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culprits
Noun
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Holmes qualified for the reduced term under a 2023 rule change allowing first-time offenders to do less time for some non-violent crimes, according to an order issued Thursday by the federal judge who sentenced her in 2022 for defrauding investors in her blood-testing startup.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
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And many Democrats see it as an effort to curb more liberal prosecutors who have embraced restorative justice policies, including steering nonviolent offenders away from prison sentences or taking more lax approaches to drug offenses.—
Riley Bunch,
AJC.com,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Göring, played by Russell Crowe, is the troubling centerpiece of James Vanderbilt’s ambitious film devoted to the trial of the major Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg in 1945–1946.—
Alice Kaplan,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
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Also included is a 13% increase in funding for the Department of Justice to focus on violent criminals and a $481 million increase in funding to enhance aviation safety and support an air traffic controller hiring surge.—
LISA MASCARO,
Arkansas Online,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Culprits.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culprits. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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