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
Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
Woodards, who was recently granted parole, has a criminal history that includes previous charges of assaulting a police officer, misdemeanor assault and burglary, according to the outlet.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 2025
Zak Doffman, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Using Baltimore as his template, Simon looks at every aspect of urban life, starting with what first seems like a simple-but-smart look at cops and criminals and expanding the canvas to include dock workers, educators, journalists, and politicians over the course of the series run.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for criminal
Adjective
High incidences of theft or other criminal activity nearby can be a red flag.
—Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
Woodards, who was recently granted parole, has a criminal history that includes previous charges of assaulting a police officer, misdemeanor assault and burglary, according to the outlet.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 2025
Noun
But unlike the official Google and Apple stores, there are no defenses preventing criminals publishing malicious websites.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Using Baltimore as his template, Simon looks at every aspect of urban life, starting with what first seems like a simple-but-smart look at cops and criminals and expanding the canvas to include dock workers, educators, journalists, and politicians over the course of the series run.
—Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for criminal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for criminal
Adjective
-
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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He was charged with unlawful restraint and domestic battery.—
Clifford Ward,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Mar. 2025
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Sullivan was arrested on charges of first-degree assault, second-degree kidnapping, first-degree unlawful restraint, cruelty to persons and first-degree reckless endangerment.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
Fox News,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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For many years, China has been the largest source of both legal supplies of the drug – which is prescribed for severe pain relief – and illicit supplies of precursor chemicals that are typically processed in labs in Mexico before the final product is smuggled across the US border.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
28 Mar. 2025
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In March 2025, more than 650,000 fentanyl pills were seized, following a record of $300 million worth of illicit fentanyl taken off the streets since 2023.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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In addition to murder, Dustin M. Thompson, 36, is facing charges of felonious assault and possession of criminal tools, court records filed March 5 in Franklin County show.—
Mitchell Willetts,
Kansas City Star,
6 Mar. 2025
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Court records show Cook was charged with felonious assault.—
Mike Stunson,
Kansas City Star,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The State Department had designated him a wrongful detainee.—
Hannah Parry,
Newsweek,
20 Mar. 2025
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Photo: Everett Collection The platonic ideal that all light-footed spy movies aspire to emulate, Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest gave him his biggest canvas yet to explore the theme of an innocent man attempting to outrun wrongful accusations and sinister forces.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
19 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Criminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/criminal. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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