ENGLISH
REFERENCE

crooks

n. plural-only
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈkɹʊks// UK //kɹˈʊks// crooks

n. dishonest people or criminals who steal or trick others. You use this word when you think someone is acting unfairly or illegally to get money.

n. individuals who engage in dishonest or criminal activities, particularly theft or fraud. Often carries a tone of moral disapproval or contempt.


SIMPLE

The police finally caught the crooks who stole the car.

CONTEXTUAL

The investigation revealed that several high-level crooks had been embezzling funds from the charity for years.

COMPLEX

While the public focused on street-level theft, the real crooks were operating behind mahogany desks, manipulating the market through complex shell companies.

Synonyms
Usage

Plural form of 'crook'; takes a plural verb. While 'crook' can be singular, the plural form is very common when referring to a group of criminals.

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