Accomplice

//əˈkɑm.pləs// noun

noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    An associate in the commission of a crime; a participator in an offense, whether a principal or an accessory.

    "Childleſs Arturius, vaſtly rich before, / Thus by his Loſſes multiplies his Store: / Suſpected for Accomplice to the Fire, / That burnt his Palace but to build it higher."

  2. 2
    a person who joins with another in carrying out some plan (especially an unethical or illegal plan) wordnet
  3. 3
    A cooperator. rare

    "Succeſſe vnto our valiant Generall, / And happineſſe to his accomplices."

Synonyms

All synonyms
abettorconfederatea party toabettoraccessaryaccessory

Antonyms

All antonyms
enemy

Example

More examples

"He was considered an accomplice."

Etymology

First attested in 1550. From a complice, from Middle English complice, from Old French complice (“confederate”), from Latin complicāre (“fold together”). The article a became part of the word, through the influence of the word accomplish.

Related phrases

crime partner

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.