Synonyms for culprit
Most common
All synonyms
Noun
Definitions
- n. 1
The person or thing at fault for a problem or crime.
I have tightened the loose bolt that was the culprit; it should work now.
Related words
- Word family
- culpable
Forms
- Plural
- culprits → perpetrators, criminals, wrongdoers, offenders…
Example sentences
- offender Sami's picture popped up on a sex offender website.
- perpetrator Tom was framed to be the perpetrator of Mary's murder.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| culprit | rising | |
| offender | rising | |
| perpetrator | rising | |
| wrongdoer | steady | |
| malefactor | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 5 letters
- crook1, felon2
- 6 letters
- sinner2
- 7 letters
- hoodlum2
- 8 letters
- criminal3, offender3
- 9 letters
- wrongdoer3
- 10 letters
- delinquent3, malefactor4
- 11 letters
- perpetrator4
- 12 letters
- transgressor3
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (felon2 = 2 syllables).