offender
/əˈfen.də(ɹ)/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: offenders
Sense 1
Meaning · English
One who gives or causes offense, or does something wrong.
Noun
Examples
Almost all down trains are late, however; the empty wagon trains are probably the worst offenders and one or two hours' late running by them is not unusual.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
A person who commits an offense against the law, a lawbreaker.
Noun
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “offender” mean?
One who gives or causes offense, or does something wrong.
Is “offender” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.