1
as in criminal
a person who commits moral wrongs
she regards anyone who would cause the breakup of a family as a malefactor of the worst sort
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in offender
a person who has committed a crime
the victim was able to give a clear description of the malefactor to the police
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of malefactor
In 2011, ahead of his reelection campaign, Barack Obama traveled to Osawatomie, Kan., to attack the malefactors of great wealth.
—
Matthew Continetti, National Review, 19 Oct. 2024
Maybe the origin of Downey's Doom won't involve torture or an evil malefactor specifically out to ruin his life.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 16 Sep. 2024
Thriller about a reclusive middleman for potential whistleblowers who tries to settle things with corporate malefactors.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 6 Sep. 2024
Progressives may struggle even more with mercy toward moneyed malefactors.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 22 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for malefactor
Matthew Continetti, National Review, 19 Oct. 2024
Maybe the origin of Downey's Doom won't involve torture or an evil malefactor specifically out to ruin his life.
—Christian Holub, EW.com, 16 Sep. 2024
Thriller about a reclusive middleman for potential whistleblowers who tries to settle things with corporate malefactors.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 6 Sep. 2024
Progressives may struggle even more with mercy toward moneyed malefactors.
—Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 22 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for malefactor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malefactor
Noun
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In the film, Martin Lawrence plays an FBI agent who has to go undercover as a larger-than-life grandma — the eponymous Big Momma — to track down an escaped criminal.—
William Earl,
Variety,
1 Apr. 2025
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In a recent spree of clemency for white collar criminals, President Trump has pardoned Utah entrepreneur Trevor Milton, who was convicted in 2022 of misleading investors in his hydrogen and electric truck company Nikola.—
Erin Alberty,
Axios,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
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While revoking an Oscar is practically unheard of (the only instance dates back to 1969, when Young Americans briefly held the Best Documentary Feature title before it was disqualified over an eligibility technicality), the Academy has found other ways to reprimand Tinseltown's wrongdoers.—
James Mercadante,
EW.com,
1 Mar. 2025
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The promise of criminal prosecution of a person responsible for such a death may seem righteous and like an effective deterrent against future wrongdoers.—
Michael Abrams,
Baltimore Sun,
17 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Even when a big threat does arrive on the scene, the heroes aren't there right away, so plenty of innocent people get hurt before a villain gets brought to justice.—
John W. Dean,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Apr. 2025
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Whereas Serena could easily have emerged as a one-note villain, from the beginning of her tenure on the series, Strahovski has imbued Serena with a soulfulness that often puts the audience uncomfortably on her side, despite her reprehensible actions.—
Scarlett Harris,
IndieWire,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Everyone’s a sinner — Elijah Gemstone and his descendants more than most.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
10 Mar. 2025
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Goggins is simply incredible, fully committed to Baby Billy’s comic lunacy yet never losing sight of his recovering sinner’s withered heart.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
9 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Malefactor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malefactor. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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