as in offender
a person who has committed a crime
the police caught the culprit a mere two blocks from the scene of the crime
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Recent Examples of culprit
The culprit, the paper suggests, is the teeny tiny plant-like creatures that form the building blocks of the marine food web — phytoplankton.
—
Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 19 June 2025
In the first trial, Cannone, the judge, allowed Read’s lawyers to present a third-party culprit defense — or an alternative theory of the crime — and identify Albert and a federal agent, Brian Higgins, as possible suspects in a conspiracy that sought to frame Read for O'Keefe's death.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 18 June 2025
Indeed, it is thought that between 20 and 30 percent of global warming since 1750 can be pinned on methane emissions alone, and agriculture is one of the biggest culprits.
—Rosie McCall, Discover Magazine, 16 June 2025
Unlike many traditional sunscreens that contain oxybenzone and octinoxate—two common culprits behind coral bleaching—reef-safe formulas skip the harsh stuff in favor of ocean-friendly alternatives that tend to also be gentler on sensitive skin.
—Iman Balagam, Vogue, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for culprit
Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 19 June 2025
In the first trial, Cannone, the judge, allowed Read’s lawyers to present a third-party culprit defense — or an alternative theory of the crime — and identify Albert and a federal agent, Brian Higgins, as possible suspects in a conspiracy that sought to frame Read for O'Keefe's death.
—Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 18 June 2025
Indeed, it is thought that between 20 and 30 percent of global warming since 1750 can be pinned on methane emissions alone, and agriculture is one of the biggest culprits.
—Rosie McCall, Discover Magazine, 16 June 2025
Unlike many traditional sunscreens that contain oxybenzone and octinoxate—two common culprits behind coral bleaching—reef-safe formulas skip the harsh stuff in favor of ocean-friendly alternatives that tend to also be gentler on sensitive skin.
—Iman Balagam, Vogue, 16 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for culprit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for culprit
criminal
Noun
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As crypto holders become increasingly savvy online, criminals start resorting to physical attacks.—
Marie Poteriaieva,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
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With the help of a charming and ethnically diverse array of loveable colleagues, Peralta brings down criminals in entirely bingeable 22-minute chunks.—
Maris Kreizman,
Rolling Stone,
24 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Culprit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/culprit. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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