culprits
Those found responsible
Culprits is the plural of culprit—a person responsible for a wrong or crime.
The word often appears in news coverage of investigations: Police have identified the culprits.
It extends to non-human causes: Sugar and processed foods are the culprits behind the obesity epidemic.
Those who commit wrongs
- offendersThose who commit wrongs
- criminalsLawbreakers by act
- suspectsThinks someone's guilty
- wrongdoersPeople who commit misdeeds
felons · lawbreakers · defendants · accused · convicts · delinquents · transgressors · violators
Those blamed for others
- responsibleObligated to answer for actions
- guiltyResponsible for wrongdoing
- accountableObligated to explain oneself
- blameworthyDeserving of censure
at-fault · causes · sources · origins · reasons · factors · triggers · instigators
perpetrators
Those who commit wrongs
wrongdoers · felons · lawbreakers · defendants · accused · convicts · delinquents · transgressors · violators · malefactors
scapegoats
Those blamed for others
- responsibleObligated to answer for actions
- guiltyResponsible for wrongdoing
- accountableObligated to explain oneself
blameworthy · at-fault · causes · sources · origins · reasons · factors · triggers · instigators · perpetrators
causes
Brings into being
roots · triggers · contributors · agents · catalysts · reasons · explanations · variables · elements · influences
culpritsinnocents
Blameless individuals
scapegoats · fall guys · patsies · innocent
culpritsvictims
Those who suffer harm
sufferers · casualties · targets · prey · complainants