criminal
[noun]
Synonyms:
- lawbreaker, convict, crook (informal), culprit, felon, offender, sinner, villain
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- unlawful, corrupt, crooked (informal), illegal, illicit, immoral, lawless, wicked, wrong
- disgraceful, deplorable, foolish, preposterous, ridiculous, scandalous, senseless

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Related Words: scofflaw, transgressor, trespasser, wrongdoer, crook, twicer, gangster, hood, mobster, racketeer, thug, fugitive, outlaw, convict, jailbird

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English Thesaurus: criminal, offender, crook, felon, the culprit, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. crim‧i‧nal¹ S3 W2 /ˈkrɪmənəl, ˈkrɪmɪnəl/ adjective
[Word Family: noun: crime, criminal, criminologist, criminology; verb: incriminate, criminalize ≠ decriminalize; adjective: criminal, incriminating; adverb: criminally]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: French; Origin: criminel, from Late Latin criminalis, from Latin crimen; ⇒ crime]

1. relating to crime:
Experts cannot agree on the causes of criminal behaviour.
I was sure he was involved in some kind of criminal activity.
She has not committed a criminal offence (=a crime).
He was arrested and charged with criminal damage (=damaging someone’s property illegally).
The doctor was found guilty of criminal negligence (=not taking enough care to protect people you are responsible for).

2. relating to the part of the legal system that is concerned with crime ⇒ civil:
The case will be tried in a criminal court.
We have no faith in the criminal justice system.
The police are investigating the matter, and he may face criminal charges (=be officially accused of a crime).
She usually deals with serious criminal cases.
a criminal lawyer

3. wrong, dishonest, and unacceptable Synonym : wicked:
It seems criminal that teachers are paid so little money.
—criminally adverb:
a hospital for the criminally insane
—criminality /ˌkrɪməˈnæləti, ˌkrɪmɪˈnæləti/ noun [uncountable]

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. criminal² noun [countable]
[Word Family: noun: crime, criminal, criminologist, criminology; verb: incriminate, criminalize ≠ decriminalize; adjective: criminal, incriminating; adverb: criminally]
someone who is involved in illegal activities or has been proved guilty of a crime ⇒ offender:
Police have described the man as a violent and dangerous criminal.
a convicted criminal (=someone who has been found guilty of a crime)
The new law will ensure that habitual criminals (=criminals who commit crimes repeatedly) receive tougher punishments than first-time offenders.
Teenagers should not be sent to prison to mix with hardened criminals (=criminals who have committed and will continue to commit a lot of crimes).

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

criminal
noun
ADJ. dangerous, violent | serious | habitual, hardened | professional | master | petty | convicted | known He has been associating with known criminals.
notorious | common She was treated like a common criminal.
white-collar | war He was tried as a war criminal.
VERB + CRIMINAL catch I told him to pass the information to the police so they could catch the criminals.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

criminal

criminal activity
There was no evidence of any criminal activity.
a criminal offence/act (=a crime)
Cruelty to animals is a criminal offence.
criminal behaviour
Is it possible that the tendency to criminal behaviour is inherited?
criminal wrongdoing American English (=actions that are illegal)
The investigation cleared him of any criminal wrongdoing.
criminal damage British English (=damaging someone's property illegally)
He was charged with criminal damage to his boss's car.
criminal negligence (=not taking enough care to protect people you are responsible for)
Charges of criminal negligence were brought against senior staff.
a criminal investigation (=when a possible crime is investigated)
The FBI is conducting a criminal investigation into the bombing.
the criminal justice system
How effective is our criminal justice system?
criminal law
I’m more interested in criminal law than civil law.
a criminal charge (=an official accusation that someone has committed a crime)
He’s been arrested on a very serious criminal charge.
a criminal record (=a record, kept by the police, of the crimes someone has committed)
It can be hard for someone with a criminal record to find work.
a criminal case
The crown court usually deals with criminal cases.
a criminal trial
His year-long criminal trial ended in October.
criminal proceedings (=actions to deal with criminals, such as charging people with crimes or bringing them to trial)
Criminal proceedings have been started against the officers connected with the events.
a criminal court
The trial will take place in an international criminal court.
a criminal lawyer (=who deals with criminal cases)

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

criminal
adjective
BAD: The criminal rate among juveniles is still increasing.
GOOD: The crime rate among juveniles is still increasing.
BAD: What makes them choose a criminal life?
GOOD: What makes them choose a life of crime?

Usage Note:
'criminal activity', 'a criminal offence', 'a criminal record', 'criminal law', BUT 'crime prevention', 'the crime rate', 'crime statistics', 'a life of crime'

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

criminal someone who is involved in illegal activities or has been proved guilty of a crime. Criminal is used especially about someone who often does things that are illegal:
Criminals are stealing people's credit card details off the Internet.
He is one of the most wanted criminals in the United States.
offender someone who breaks the law:
The courts should impose tougher punishments on offenders.
a special prison for young offenders
crook informal a dishonest person, especially one who steals money and who you cannot trust:
Some politicians are crooks, but not all of them.
They're just a bunch of crooks.
felon law especially American English someone who has committed a serious crime:
Convicted felons should not be allowed to profit from their crimes.
the culprit the person who has done something wrong or illegal:
The culprits were never found.
If I ever catch the culprit, he or she is in big trouble.
The culprits were just six years old.
delinquent a young person who behaves badly and is likely to commit crimes - used especially in the phrase juvenile delinquent:
He later worked with juvenile delinquents in a Florida youth services program.
accomplice someone who helps a criminal to do something illegal:
Police believe the murderer must have had an accomplice.
thief someone who steals things:
Car thieves have been working in the area.
The thieves stole over £5,000 worth of jewellery.
robber someone who steals money or valuable things from a bank, shop etc – used especially when someone sees the person who is stealing:
a masked robber armed with a shotgun
They were the most successful bank robbers in US history.
burglar someone who goes into people’s homes in order to steal:
The burglars broke in through a window.
shoplifter someone who takes things from shops without paying for them:
The cameras have helped the store catch several shoplifters.
pickpocket someone who steals things from people’s pockets, especially in a crowd:
A sign warned that pickpockets were active in the station.
conman/fraudster someone who deceives people in order to get money or things:
Conmen tricked the woman into giving them her savings, as an ‘investment’.
forger someone who illegally copies official documents, money, artworks etc:
a forger who fooled museum curators
counterfeiter someone who illegally copies money, official documents, or goods:
Counterfeiters in Colombia are printing almost perfect dollar bills.
pirate someone who illegally copies and sells another person’s work:
DVD pirates
mugger someone who attacks and robs people in public places:
Muggers took his money and mobile phone.
murderer someone who deliberately kills someone else:
His murderer was sentenced to life imprisonment.
the murderer of civil rights activist Medgar Evers
He is a mass murderer (=someone who kills a large number of people).
serial killer someone who kills several people, one after the other over a period of time, in a similar way:
Shipman was a trusted family doctor who became Britain's worst serial killer.
rapist someone who forces someone else to have sex:
Some rapists drug their victims so that they become unconscious.
sex offender someone who is guilty of a crime related to sex:
Too many sex offenders are released from prison early.
vandal someone who deliberately damages public property:
Vandals broke most of the school’s windows.
arsonist someone who deliberately sets fire to a building:
The warehouse fire may have been the work of an arsonist.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲