perpetrator

American  

[pur-pi-trey-ter] / ˈpɜr pɪˌtreɪ tər /

noun

1. a person who perpetrates, or commits, an illegal, criminal, or evil act.

   The perpetrators of this heinous crime must be found and punished to the fullest extent of the law.

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Etymology

Origin of perpetrator

First recorded in 1560–70; from Late Latin, from Latin perpetrāt(us), past participle of perpetrāre “to carry out, execute, perform” + -or -or ¹ ( def. ); see perpetrate ( def. )

Explanation

A perpetrator is someone who has committed a crime — or at least done something pretty bad. You've probably seen cops on TV trying to get a description of the perpetrator of a bank heist. The word perpetrator is so often associated with crime that police officers and other criminal justice types sometimes abbreviate it “perp.” A perpetrator is often a suspect until it has been proven that he or she carried out the offense. The word usually describes someone who's committed a crime, but any wrongdoing will do. If someone took Uncle Bob's cake and a trail of crumbs leads to your bedroom, your mom will know who the likely perpetrator is.

Example Sentences

Authorities were investigating the incident but did not elaborate on the perpetrator.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2026

Beverley, Elsie and Margot vow to find the perpetrator themselves.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026

Sukhvinder Kaur, chair of trustees at Sikh Women's Aid, said the sentence "sent a strong message to people who have the views and attitudes of this perpetrator, so we absolutely welcome that".

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

“Now, with French authorities and the U.S. Department of Justice identifying Dmitry Klyuev as the mastermind, we finally see a trial against the key perpetrator of the $230 million fraud uncovered by Sergei Magnitsky.”

From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026

This was right in her strike zone: an aggrieved victim, a remorseless alleged perpetrator, and no one taking up the fight.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Related Words

• crook
• culprit
• miscreant
• trespasser
• violator