Word
crooks
Phoneticscrooks
US/ˈkɹʊks/
UK/kɹˈʊks/
Definition
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.
Examples
“The police finally caught the crooks who stole the car.”
“The investigation revealed that several high-level crooks had been embezzling funds from the charity for years.”
“While the public focused on street-level theft, the real crooks were operating behind mahogany desks, manipulating the market through complex shell companies.”
Examples
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.”
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.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/crooks