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Definition of offender

offender

/əˈfɛn.dɚ/
of · fend · er
Plural:offenders
•
Adjective:offending
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offender Lexical Profile

offender Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A person who commits an illegal act or breaks a law.

Example

"The rehabilitation program helps first-time offenders reintegrate into the community and find stable employment."

2

A person or thing that does something wrong, causes problems, or violates a rule or social norm.

Example

"Outdated coal-fired power plants remain the worst offenders when it comes to industrial carbon emissions."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for offender

• Nearby Words

offend
offended
offendedly
offender
offense
offensive
offensively

Word Origin & Etymology

Late Middle English, formed from the verb 'offend' (from Old French 'offendre' and Latin 'offendere', meaning 'to strike against' or 'commit a fault') combined with the agentive suffix '-er'.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Offender. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/offender
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