sinner
Americannoun
-
sinners
plural
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of sinner
A Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325; see origin at sin 1, -er 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"The 1851 memoir, by contrast, was a spiritual redemption story, with Byfield tracing his progress from rebellious sinner to devout and repentant Christian."
From Science Daily ● Sep. 7, 2026
At his worst, he was a sinner, like all of us.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026
Not that Menendez is the lesser sinner — the third-term, soon-to-be-70 senator has operated under a cloud far longer than Santos, a freshman half his age.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 28, 2023
Chun Woo-won, 27, said military strongman Chun Doo-hwan was a "sinner and slaughterer".
From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2023
I was as unprepared to meet my mother as a sinner is reluctant to meet his Maker.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
![]()
Tyndale introduced the English people to a God who eats with sinners, heals the sick and comforts the grief-stricken: a loving God on a mission to rescue mankind.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 26, 2026
Francis always denounced such ploys, saying that Communion was not a reward for perfect behavior but a kind of spiritual nourishment for everyone, including sinners.
From Slate ● Oct. 2, 2025
But in their stories, Latinos aren’t always sinners.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2023
“I saw a quote the other day,” she said in a 2019 interview, “and it said, the secret to a successful marriage is two sinners who are good at forgiving.”
From New York Times ● May 31, 2023
Their office was to pursue and punish sinners.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
![]()
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.