# rap sheet

CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/rap-sheet
Updated: 2026-07-28

## Definition

a list of all the crimes a person has been caught for in the past. You usually hear this in movies or news stories about police and criminals.

For teachers: an official record maintained by law enforcement listing a person's criminal history and prior arrests. Informal in register; derived from the acronym 'Record of Arrests and Prosecutions'.

## Examples

- The suspect has a long rap sheet for petty theft.
- The detective reviewed the suspect's rap sheet and noticed several previous arrests for similar white-collar crimes.
- While the candidate's professional resume is impressive, a lengthy rap sheet from his youth continues to haunt his public image during the election cycle.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.