B1noun 3K

Culprit

UK //ˈkʌlprɪt// US //ˈkʌlprɪt// Pronunciation

Definition

A person or thing responsible for a specified wrongdoing.

Listen to definition

In simple words: The person who is responsible for a crime or problem.

Examples

• The detectives finally caught the culprit after months of investigation.
• Everyone was relieved when the culprit of the theft was arrested.
• In this case, the culprit turned out to be a former employee.
• Identifying the culprit is the first step towards solving the case.
• The school found the real culprit behind the vandalism incidents.

Usage notes

Use in legal or informal discussions about responsibility. Avoid in very formal contexts.

Grammar pattern

culprit + of + crime/problem

Memory hint

Think of 'culprit' as 'culprit'—sounds like 'cull' which means to take out, like a bad apple.

Collocations

• identify the culprit
• catch the culprit
• find the culprit

Synonyms

• perpetrator
• offender
• wrongdoer
• criminal

Antonyms

• hero
• innocent

Common mistakes

• Using 'culprit' with non-criminal issues (e.g., 'the culprit of the issue' instead of 'the cause').
• Confusing 'culprit' with 'victim' in discussions about crime.