culprit
word
Definition
A culprit is a person or thing responsible for a crime, mistake, or problem.
Usage & Nuances
Mostly used in formal, legal, or news contexts for the person responsible for a crime, but can also refer playfully to the cause of a problem ('the real culprit was the broken wire'). Not typically used in casual conversation for everyday mistakes.
Spanish: culpable - autor (de un delito)Portuguese (BR): culpado - responsável (pelo erro)Portuguese (PT): culpado - responsável (pelo erro)Chinese (Simplified): 罪魁祸首 - 罪犯Chinese (Traditional): 罪魁禍首 - 罪犯Hindi: अपराधी - दोषीArabic: الجاني - المذنبBengali: অপরাধী - দোষীRussian: виновник - преступникJapanese: 犯人 - 原因（悪いことの）Vietnamese: thủ phạm - nguyên nhân (gây ra vấn đề)Korean: 범인 - 원인(문제의)Turkish: suçlu - sebep olanUrdu: قصوروار - مجرمIndonesian: pelaku - penyebab
Example Sentences
Chocolate was the main culprit for her stained shirt.
natural
It turns out the culprit was a faulty wire, not human error.
natural
Don’t blame me—the real culprit is the weather!
natural
The police finally caught the culprit.
basic
They are looking for the culprit who broke the window.
basic
Who is the culprit behind this mess?
basic