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perpetrator

perpetrator

161 6.8
A person who commits a crime or other serious wrong
  • noun
  • /ˈpɜːrpətreɪtər/
translation icon : delincuente
  • The evidence should lead to the perpetrator, not the other way around.
  • victims and perpetrators
  • perpetrators of crime
  • prosecute perpetrators

Like so the the line between victim and perpetrator is extremely blurry.

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Examples

  • A video camera was discovered from the scene that police say may have captured the perpetrator.

  • In addition, penalties now take into account whether the perpetrator has engaged in previous stalking-type behavior.

    Academic text (1994)
  • By the time he got back on his feet, the perpetrator was gone.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • In each of the latter cases, the perpetrator was the husband of the victim of homicide.

    Academic text (1991)
  • I hope justice will be saved and the perpetrators will be brought before law.

  • The fact you knew the perpetrator doesn't sit well with us.

  • Do you have a message for the perpetrators?

  • That's when there's a clear perpetrator, clear victim.

  • At least 75% and 65% of the perpetrators and victims, respectively, were drinking.

    Academic text (1994)
  • The police arrested the perpetrator after extensive investigations into the robbery.

Synonyms

criminal
vsperpetrator
2.1

A person who has committed a crime or broken the law

refers to the person who commits the act regardless of legal conviction
offender
vsperpetrator
304 3.5

A person who has committed a crime or broken the law

emphasizes committing a crime or doing something wrong in general
perp
vsperpetrator
  • Slang
148 8.6

A person who broke the law, often called a suspect by police

is the neutral term used in general language, not slang
culprit
vsperpetrator
101 4.6

Something, often a person, that causes a crime, mistake or problem

focuses specifically on committing a crime or doing something wrong
miscreant
vsperpetrator
  • Offensive
22 8.4

A person who does bad things or breaks the law

is neutral and focuses on the act of committing a crime
evildoer
vsperpetrator
15 7.5

A person who does bad things to hurt other people

is a neutral label for someone who commits a crime or wrong
lawbreaker
vsperpetrator
11 3.8

A person who does things that are against the law

is the general label for one who commits a crime or does wrong
wrongdoer
vsperpetrator
8 4.3

A person who breaks the law or hurts other people

is more focused on criminal acts rather than moral wrongdoing alone
victimizer
vsperpetrator
  • US
4 8.3

A person who harms or tricks another person to control them

is broader and simply names who committed the crime or wrongdoing
malefactor
vsperpetrator
3 8.8

A person who breaks the law or does something wrong

is the plain everyday word rather than a formal or literary term
transgressor
vsperpetrator
3 7.7

A person who breaks a law or important rule

is limited to those who actually commit crimes or wrongful acts
wronger
vsperpetrator
  • Informal
1 8.6

A person who is more at fault than someone else

is the straightforward name for the person who commits a crime or wrong
committer
vsperpetrator
7.6

A person who breaks the law, for example by theft or fraud

focuses specifically on committing a crime or a wrong rather than general action
law offender
vsperpetrator
3.0

A person who breaks the law

covers that same idea but also wrongful acts beyond legal wording

Antonyms

1.5

A person who suffers harm, injury, loss because of an accident, crime or trick

How Guilty

felon
  • US
175 5.5
criminal
2.1
perpetrator
161 6.8
offender
304 3.5
wrongdoer
8 4.3
suspect
3.4

Surface Forms

perpetrator singular
perpetrators plural

Morphology

perpetrator = perpetrate (transparent) = perpetrate + or

A standard agentive noun formed by adding the productive suffix '-or' to the verb 'perpetrate', so learners who know the verb can infer 'person who perpetrates'.

Etymology

Perpetrator comes from the verb perpetrate, with the prefix per- meaning 'through', and originally meant 'to carry out' or 'complete' an action. So a perpetrator is the person who 'carries out' a crime or wrong act.