Definition of criminal Criminal

/kɹɪˈmʌnʌl/ - [krimunul] - crim•i•nal

We found 19 definitions of criminal from 5 different sources.

What does criminal mean?

WordNet

Noun Plural: criminals
criminal - someone who has committed a crime or has been legally convicted of a crime
		felon, crook, outlaw, malefactor
		principal the major party to a financial transaction at a stock exchange; buys and sells for his own account
		accessary, accessory a supplementary component that improves capability
		arsonist, firebug, incendiary a criminal who illegally sets fire to property
		blackmailer, extortioner, extortionist a criminal who extorts money from someone by threatening to expose embarrassing information about them
		bootlegger, moonshiner someone who makes or sells illegal liquor
		briber, suborner someone who pays (or otherwise incites) you to commit a wrongful act
		coconspirator, conspirator, machinator, plotter a member of a conspiracy
		desperado, desperate criminal a bold outlaw (especially on the American frontier)
		fugitive from justice, fugitive someone who is sought by law officers; someone trying to elude justice
		gangster, mobster a criminal who is a member of gang
		highbinder a corrupt politician
		highjacker, hijacker a holdup man who stops a vehicle and steals from it
		hoodlum, strong-armer, thug, goon, toughie, tough, punk, hood substance that smolders when ignited; used to light fuses (especially fireworks)
		gaolbird, jail bird, jailbird a criminal who has been jailed repeatedly
		kidnaper, kidnapper, abductor, snatcher someone who unlawfully seizes and detains a victim (usually for ransom)
		mafioso a member of the Mafia crime syndicate in the United States
		gangster's moll, gun moll, moll the girlfriend of a gangster
		manslayer, murderer, liquidator a criminal who commits homicide (who performs the unlawful premeditated killing of another human being)
		parolee, probationer someone released on probation or on parole
		drug dealer, drug peddler, drug trafficker, peddler, pusher someone who travels about selling his wares (as on the streets or at carnivals)
		racketeer someone who commits crimes for profit (especially one who obtains money by fraud or extortion)
		raper, rapist someone who forces another to have sexual intercourse
		habitual criminal, recidivist, repeater someone who lapses into previous undesirable patterns of behavior
		scofflaw one who habitually ignores the law and does not answer court summonses
		contrabandist, moon-curser, moon curser, smuggler, runner someone who imports or exports without paying duties
		stealer, thief a criminal who takes property belonging to someone else with the intention of keeping it or selling it
		treasonist, traitor someone who betrays his country by committing treason
		law offender, lawbreaker, violator someone who assaults others sexually
Adjective
criminal - involving or being or having the nature of a crime; "a criminal offense"; "criminal abuse"; "felonious intent"
		felonious
		illegal prohibited by law or by official or accepted rules; "an illegal chess move"
criminal - guilty of crime or serious offense; "criminal in the sight of God and man"
		guilty showing a sense of guilt; "a guilty look"; "the hangdog and shamefaced air of the retreating enemy"- Eric Linklater
criminal - bringing or deserving severe rebuke or censure; "a criminal waste of talent"; "a deplorable act of violence"; "adultery is as reprehensible for a husband as for a wife"
		condemnable, deplorable, reprehensible, vicious
		wrong based on or acting or judging in error; "it is wrong to think that way"

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Wiktionary

criminal (Noun)
A person who is guilty of a crime, notably breaking the law.
criminal (Adjective)
Being against the law; forbidden by law.
criminal (Adjective)
Guilty of breaking the law.
criminal (Adjective)
Of or relating to crime.
criminal (Adjective)
Abhorrent or very undesirable, even if allowed by law.
criminal (Adjective)
Of or relating to crime control , notably penal law.

Webster DictionaryWebster's Unabridged Dictionary 📘

criminal (a.)
Guilty of crime or sin.
criminal (a.)
Involving a crime; of the nature of a crime; -- said of an act or of conduct; as, criminal carelessness.
criminal (a.)
Relating to crime; -- opposed to civil; as, the criminal code.
criminal (n.)
One who has commited a crime; especially, one who is found guilty by verdict, confession, or proof; a malefactor; a felon.