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Showing results for criminal. Search instead for kriminaler.
Definitions

criminal

[krim-uh-nl] / ˈkrɪm ə nl /
ADJECTIVE
lawless, felonious
Synonyms
STRONGEST
corrupt deplorable illegal illegitimate illicit scandalous senseless unlawful vicious
STRONG
bent heavy racket wildcat wrong
WEAK
caught crooked culpable dirty hung up indictable iniquitous nefarious off base out of line peccant shady smoking gun unrighteous villainous wicked
Antonyms
STRONGEST
authorized blessed ethical good kind lawful legal legitimate moral noble proper pure right uncorrupt
WEAK
correct righteous
NOUN
person who breaks the law
Synonyms
STRONGEST
convict crook culprit felon fugitive gangster hoodlum hooligan lawbreaker mobster offender thug
STRONG
bad guy bad person baddie baddy blackmailer con delinquent desperado deuce evildoer guerrilla heavy hood hustler jailbird malefactor mug muscle outlaw racketeer repeater scofflaw sinner transgressor trespasser wrongdoer yardbird
WEAK
bad actor black marketeer ex-con inside person slippery eel
Antonyms
STRONGEST
police
WEAK
law

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Emil Bove, who defended Trump in multiple criminal cases and served for a time as a top official in his Justice Department, was named to the Philadelphia-based Third Circuit.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 19, 2026

Meanwhile, global layoffs created a new labour force that could be recruited by criminal networks, says Ilias Chatzis, acting head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

The Texas Rangers recently opened a criminal probe into complaints of negligence by camp leaders on the night of the flood.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

A swarm of police officers apprehended the witness at his mother’s residence in Helena, Mont., after he failed to appear in a Los Angeles County criminal proceeding.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

The Bonnot Gang was a group of anarchists who were more criminal than political.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day

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