Meaning & use
perpetrator
A person who carries out a harmful, illegal, or violent act, especially a crime.
See it in a sentence
Police released a sketch of the perpetrator based on descriptions from three separate witnesses.
The report identified the perpetrator of the fraud after months of careful auditing.
A note on using this word
Perpetrator is a formal term used mainly in legal, journalistic, or official contexts rather than casual conversation.
Words with a similar meaning
offenderculprit
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
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