wrongdoer

Everyday

1. A wrongdoer is a person who does something bad or against the law. tree →
2. (Bible, formal) In older and church language, wrongdoers are sinners — people who do wrong in God's eyes. tree →

In the lessons

In news and law, wrongdoers are punished or must make amends; in ethics lessons pupils ask how to treat wrongdoers fairly — punishment, forgiveness, or a second chance. In stories the hero catches the wrongdoer. It is a slightly formal word; children more often say "the bad guy" or "the person who did it". Phrases: punish the wrongdoer, bring wrongdoers to justice.

Examples

• The police wanted to find the wrongdoer quickly. tree →
• The judge said wrongdoers must pay for the damage. tree →
• In the story, the knight chased the wrongdoer through the forest. tree →
• Jesus ate with sinners and wrongdoers. tree →
• Our teacher said the wrongdoer should own up. tree →
• Should a wrongdoer always be punished, or sometimes forgiven? tree →

Note

Countable; one word. Made from "wrong + do + er". Verb phrase: do wrong (did wrong). Formal; in law the usual word is "offender" or "criminal".