red-handed

[red-han-did] / ˈrɛdˈhæn dɪd /

ADJECTIVE

caught in the act

Synonyms

WEAK

blatantly guilty in a compromising position openly

ADJECTIVE

in the act of committing crime

Synonyms

WEAK

blatantly caught in flagrante delicto openly

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"He caught them red-handed and, as a result, we've banned them from taking part in future quizzes," he said.

From BBC • Nov. 11, 2025

PUTIN’S QUOTE: “He was caught red-handed when he was secretly getting classified information.”

From Seattle Times • Feb. 9, 2024

“Even when he is literally caught red-handed, he won’t want to admit it.”

From New York Times • Feb. 2, 2024

The Kremlin said he was caught "red-handed" but has provided no detail to support the assertion.

From Reuters • Aug. 24, 2023

But with the ashes on the floor, Daniel caught them red-handed.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver