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lawbreaker

lawbreaker

11 3.8
A person who does things that are against the law
  • noun
  • /ˈlɔːˌbreɪkər/
translation icon : delincuente
  • We do not want to be lawbreakers.

Examples

  • Would it surprise you to know that I was once a lawbreaker?

  • As Cunningham vowed at one campus, "We will make an example out of lawbreakers."

    Academic text (2000)
  • But I think I see a lot of lawbreakers up in this house tonight.

  • The punishment for all lesser lawbreakers was a fine.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • One other major concern is that lawbreakers who have paid their debt to society will face discrimination in hiring and housing.

    Academic text (2009)
  • Last I checked, we have police and state troopers to take care of lawbreakers.

    Blog text (5)
  • The voters can rest assured that, come Election Day, I will be just as thorough in my pursuit of lawbreakers.

  • On these lands, the lawbreakers built their own housing, cultivated the soil, and produced their own food.

    Academic text (2005)
  • I will take these lawbreakers to the brig now if you don't mind.

  • Many young people become lawbreakers when they feel they have no other options.

Synonyms

offender
vslawbreaker
304 3.5

A person who has committed a crime or broken the law

is the same meaning but phrased differently
crook
vslawbreaker
  • Offensive
153 3.9

A dishonest person who cheats or steals

is broader, applying to any law-breaking not only theft
miscreant
vslawbreaker
  • Offensive
22 8.4

A person who does bad things or breaks the law

focuses specifically on committing legal offences rather than bad conduct
violator
vslawbreaker
19 5.1

A person who breaks a law or other rule

focuses on criminal acts rather than any rule or contract breach
wrongdoer
vslawbreaker
8 4.3

A person who breaks the law or hurts other people

stresses breaking laws and criminal acts rather than moral wrongs
scofflaw
vslawbreaker
  • US
5 9.9

A person who often ignores laws or court orders

covers single crimes as well as repeated or habitual offences
transgressor
vslawbreaker
3 7.7

A person who breaks a law or important rule

centres on legal crimes rather than moral faults
breacher
vslawbreaker
1 8.1

Someone who breaks a law or contract

applies specifically to criminal acts rather than contractual or procedural breaches
law offender
vslawbreaker
3.0

A person who breaks the law

is the same meaning but expressed with different wording

Antonyms

63 3.4

Following the law and not breaking rules

How Law-Abiding

upstander
1 6.8
lawbreaker
11 3.8
serial killer
  • NSFW
232 4.1

Surface Forms

lawbreaker singular
lawbreakers plural

Morphology

lawbreaker = law + breaker (transparent) = law + break + er

The compound combines 'law' and 'breaker' (breaker = one who breaks), so the meaning 'someone who breaks the law' is directly inferable.

Etymology

Lawbreaker combines law ('rule') and break ('to not follow'), so it literally means someone who 'breaks the rules', a person who does something illegal.