noun · academic
perpetrator
UK/ˈpɜːpɪtreɪtə(r)/US/ˈpɜːrpəˌtreɪtər/PER·pe·tra·tor
the person who carried out a criminal act
Examples
“After the investigation, police identified the perpetrator and charged him with robbery.”
“Witnesses gave descriptions that helped the police find the perpetrator.”
“It is wrong to call someone the perpetrator before the facts are proved in court.”
Band 8 sentence
“Once forensic analysis matched the DNA, investigators were able to name the real perpetrator and close the case.”
Collocations
- perpetrator of (a crime)
- identify the perpetrator
- the actual/real perpetrator
Word family
Common mistakes
Call someone a perpetrator right after an allegation is made→call someone a suspect or an alleged perpetrator
Use 'perpetrator' for minor rule-breaking (e.g. a student copying homework)→use 'offender' or 'rule-breaker' or 'someone who cheated'
Say it for a higher band
5criminal→6offender→7+perpetrator
Synonyms
offender
culprit
Easily confused
suspect
“The police questioned the suspect for several hours.”
offender
“Repeat offenders may face harsher sentences.”
Related words
Learn this word with the rest of its set, and get reminded at the right time.
In Crime & Law
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