malefactor

/ˈmælɪfæktə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmælɪfæktər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈma-lə-ˌfak-tər/ (ame, mw)

malefactor — noun

  • malefactorsingular
  • malefactorsplural

1. a person who commits harmful, illegal, or morally wrong acts — a term often used

1.名詞C1
釋義

a person who commits harmful, illegal, or morally wrong acts — a term often used in formal, legal, or literary contexts to describe someone who deliberately does evil or breaks the law.

例句

The masked malefactor slipped out of the bank before anyone noticed the broken safe.

article + adjective + malefactor (masked malefactor)

Neighbors described the malefactor as a quiet young man who rarely left his apartment.

同義詞
  • criminal

    Everyday term; malefactor is more formal and less common.

  • wrongdoer

    Similar formality but broader — covers minor moral faults, not just crimes.

  • offender

    Common in legal and administrative contexts; less emotionally charged.

  • villain

    Fictional or melodramatic; malefactor is more neutral-descriptive.

反義詞
  • benefactor

    The direct antonym by etymology — one who does good rather than evil.

文法句型

the/malefactor + verb

a/an + adjective + malefactor

malefactor + relative clause

用法筆記

Frequently used in formal writing, legal texts, and literature rather than everyday conversation. Unlike everyday words like criminal or offender, malefactor carries a strong moral judgment and a slightly old-fashioned tone.

常見錯誤

❌The malefactor was sentenced to five years.
✅The criminal was sentenced to five years.
💡In everyday or journalistic English, criminal or offender is preferred over malefactor, which sounds overly formal or literary.
❌He called the thief a malefactor during the argument.
✅He called the thief a criminal during the argument.
💡Malefactor is not used in heated everyday speech; it belongs to formal or narrative contexts.