Tom is a recidivist.
Source: tatoeba (7955894)
Recidivist
/ɹɪˈsɪdɪvɪst/
Synonyms for "recidivist" (122 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (25)
Strong matches (36)
Related words (61)
Verb(1 words)
recreantregressiverenegaderenegadorenegaterepeaterreprobateretrograderetrogressiveretrorseretroversereturnablereturneereversiblereversionalreversionaryreversionerreversionistrevertiblerevulsionary
Show 35 more words
runagatesabbath-breakersacrilegioussacrilegistscapegraceschismaticsecedersecessionistseparatistsorry lotstrikebreakertergiversanttergiversatortraitortrollopturnaboutturncoatturntailtwo-time loserunangelicunbelieverunchasteuncleanundutifulungodlyungoodunrepentantunrighteousunsaintlyunvirtuousvirtuelesswantonwaywardweakwhore
Noun(5 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: adamic, apostate, atavistic, atheist, atheistic.
- Sentence evidence is available for recidivist, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from moby, wordnet, opengloss, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "recidivist".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "recidivist"
Keep "recidivist" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "recidivist" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "recidivist", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "recidivist" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
8 entriesMore specific
4 entriescareer criminalchronic offenderrepeat offenderviolent recidivist
Collocations
10 entriescareer criminalhabitual offenderrecidivism raterecidivist behaviorrecidivist historyrecidivist offenderrecidivist patternrecidivist tendenciesrepeat offenderviolent recidivist
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
4 entriesSample sentences
6 total sentences available.
This specimen was of English parentage, was a professional burglar, a confirmed recidivist, and—since he habitually carried firearms—a potential homicide.
Source: wiktionary
Persistent recidivists are "accidentally" left on the next habitable world. This practice of abandoning criminals on other people's planets is a point of friction between the quarians and the systems they pass through. Captains rarely have another choice; with space and resources at a premium, supporting a non-productive prison population is not an option.
Source: wiktionary
To return to Macbeth, I should like to note another psychological intuition of [William] Shakespeare’s, which is that women commit fewer crimes than men; but when they commit them they are more cruel and more obstinately recidivist than men. Lady Macbeth, for example, is more inhumanly ferocious than her husband.
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 6 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "recidivist"?
Closest matches include adamic, apostate, atavistic, atheist, atheistic.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "recidivist"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.