culprit
CEFR: C1
A person who is responsible for a crime or misdeed; or the primary underlying cause of an environmental disaster or failure.
Synonyms
- perpetrator
- wrongdoer
- offender
Common Collocations
- main culprit
- identify the culprit
- primary culprit
Example Sentence
Unregulated mega cruise ships are identified as the primary culprit behind severe marine pollution in pristine coral archipelagos.