offender
word
/əˈfɛndɝ/
uh-FEN-dur
/əfˈɛndɐ/
uh-FEN-duh
Definition
A person who breaks the law or commits an illegal act. It can refer to someone guilty of a crime or a minor violation.
Usage & Nuances
Most common in formal, legal, or news contexts. Can describe people who commit major crimes ('serious offender') or minor ones ('first-time offender', 'traffic offender'). Do not use to describe someone by accident or mistake; it's about rule or law breaking.
Spanish: delincuente - infractorPortuguese (BR): infrator - criminosoPortuguese (PT): infractor - criminosoChinese (Simplified): 违法者 - 犯罪者Chinese (Traditional): 違法者 - 犯罪者Hindi: अपराधीArabic: مُخالِف - مُجرمBengali: অপরাধী - দোষীRussian: правонарушитель - преступникJapanese: 犯罪者 - 違反者Vietnamese: người phạm tội - người vi phạmKorean: 범죄자 - 위반자Turkish: suçlu - suç işleyenUrdu: مجرم - خلاف کرنے والاIndonesian: pelanggar - penjahat
Example Sentences
First-time offenders often receive lighter sentences.
basic
Repeat offenders are more likely to go to prison.
natural
Some traffic offenders just get a fine, not jail time.
natural
The community is working to help young offenders avoid future crimes.
natural
The police caught the offender last night.
basic
The judge explained the law to the offender in court.
basic