offender

American  

[uh-fen-der] / əˈfɛn dər /

noun

1. someone who has violated a criminal, religious, or moral law.

   The program aids individuals already in the criminal justice system and is geared toward nonviolent offenders.

2. a person or thing that irritates, annoys, or angers.

   Some of us tried to take matters into our own hands by confronting the noise pollution offenders, but they were entirely unwilling to quiet down.

3. something that is disagreeable.

   If you’re curious about the odor, I’m afraid you’ll find that the offender is a catbox that has not been emptied recently.

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Other Word Forms

• nonoffender noun

Etymology

Origin of offender

offend ( def. ) + -er ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

Fitting these on an offender's car would be a condition of them being allowed to drive again.

From BBC

Williams, who is now 39 years old, first became eligible for youth offender parole in September 2024, at which time the Parole Board deemed him a threat to public safety and unsuitable for release.

From Los Angeles Times

Restorative justice is a voluntary opportunity for the victim and the offender to share with each other how the crime has affected them - which can be face-to-face, by writing, or through recorded interviews.

From BBC

"Before making a recommendation the parole board conducts a thorough assessment of the offender's risk of harm and risk of absconding," said Davies-Jones.

From BBC

But under the new plans, the onus would shift to confining the offender to specific areas tailored to them.

From BBC

Related Words

• convict
• criminal
• culprit
• delinquent
• felon
• lawbreaker
• suspect