as in criminals
a person who has committed a serious crime
The convicted felon wanted to make amends after his release from jail.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 felons
Even felons — the Menendez brothers for example, and the late Jeffrey Epstein — are free to seek federal office; only the states have prohibitions against felon candidates.
—
Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
Four people voted despite being felons, one voted twice, and one, only one, voted despite being a non-citizen.
—Adriana E. Ramírez, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2026
They also were charged with being felons in possession of a weapon.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Growing the colony For the first 52 years of the colony’s existence, New South Wales continued to receive regular consignments of felons, largely consisting of people who had been found guilty of property crimes.
—Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026
Lawsuits help felons get their guns back A majority of the 22 individuals named in February by the attorney general had their rights restored after applying for full pardons at the department.
—Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Of those arrested, 105 were convicted felons, and 61 were documented gang members.
—CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
Again, the outcome could easily have been different if voting rights for former felons were a given.
—Kevin B. Smith, The Conversation, 2 Mar. 2026
But as legacy media recedes, a growing cohort of famous felons are leveraging new media to rehab their images.
—Andrew Zucker, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
Lucas Robinson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026
Four people voted despite being felons, one voted twice, and one, only one, voted despite being a non-citizen.
—Adriana E. Ramírez, Mercury News, 28 Mar. 2026
They also were charged with being felons in possession of a weapon.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Growing the colony For the first 52 years of the colony’s existence, New South Wales continued to receive regular consignments of felons, largely consisting of people who had been found guilty of property crimes.
—Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026
Lawsuits help felons get their guns back A majority of the 22 individuals named in February by the attorney general had their rights restored after applying for full pardons at the department.
—Nick Penzenstadler, USA Today, 10 Mar. 2026
Of those arrested, 105 were convicted felons, and 61 were documented gang members.
—CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
Again, the outcome could easily have been different if voting rights for former felons were a given.
—Kevin B. Smith, The Conversation, 2 Mar. 2026
But as legacy media recedes, a growing cohort of famous felons are leveraging new media to rehab their images.
—Andrew Zucker, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for felons
Noun
-
When unhoused people are treated as criminals, they are pushed into an identity of exclusion rather than belonging.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
-
That’s the job of law enforcement, who make arrests, judges who sentence criminals to pay for their crimes, and a parole board that cares about public safety.—
Boston Herald editorial staff,
Boston Herald,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Those players were found guilty of tax evasion but avoided prison time thanks to a provision that allows a judge to waive sentences under two years in length for first-time offenders.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
18 May 2026
-
Now, a new dashboard shows the worst offenders.—
Jack Flemming,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Felons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/felons. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
