crime
Americannoun
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crimes
plural
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an action or an instance of negligence that is deemed injurious to the public welfare or morals or to the interests of the state and that is legally prohibited.
- Synonyms:
- felony, tort, misdemeanor, wrong
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criminal activity and those engaged in it.
to fight crime.
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the habitual or frequent commission of crimes.
a life of crime.
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any offense, serious wrongdoing, or sin.
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a foolish, senseless, or shameful act.
It's a crime to let that beautiful garden go to ruin.
noun
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an act or omission prohibited and punished by law
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unlawful acts in general
a wave of crime
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( as modifier )
crime wave
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an evil act
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informal something to be regretted
it is a crime that he died young
Usage
What is a crime? A crime is an act or instance that is considered to be against the morals or laws of society, as in Burglary and grand theft auto are crimes. A person could also be said to have committed a crime against nature or a crime against humanity if they performed especially offensive or taboo acts. A crime can also mean illegal activity in general or a frequent committing of such activity, as in The superhero was dedicated to fighting crime. Crime can also mean a repeated or frequent performing of illegal acts, as in The mobsters lived a life of crime. And crime can be used more generally to refer to any offense or sin, as in The man swore his neighbor would pay for his crime of letting his dogs waltz through his yard. Informally, crime can be used to mean a regrettable thing, as in It is a crime that the musician died so young. The word criminal can be used to mean both a person who commits crime as well as an adjective for things related to crime. Example: Publishing someone’s words as your own is a crime.
Synonym Usage
Crime, offense, sin agree in meaning a breaking of law. Crime usually means any serious violation of human laws: the crime of treason or robbery. Offense is used of an infraction of either human or divine law, and does not necessarily mean a serious one: an offense leading to a jail sentence; an offense against morals. Sin means a breaking of moral or divine law: the sins of greed and lust.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of crime
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin crīmin-, stem of crīmen “accusation, blame, charge,” akin to cernere “to decide, distinguish, separate,” literally, “to sift” ( cf. discern ( def. ))
Explanation
Something that's against the law is a crime. If your friend shoplifts clothes from a store, you'll be disappointed because you know that stealing is a serious crime. A crime is an illegal act that someone can be legally punished for, like damaging someone's property. You can also talk about crime more generally to describe something that's unfair, wrong, and difficult to fix, like the crime of art museums charging high admission prices, making it all but impossible for many families to afford to go often.
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.
See Examples For:
Survivors may not report their assault to law enforcement for any number of reasons, including a fear of retaliation, not believing the police would help and not believing the crime was important enough.
From Salon ● Oct. 10, 2026
Hate crime numbers in England and Wales have seen "a genuine increase", the Home Office says, sparked by more offences motivated by race and religion.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
None have been charged with a crime and all have been released on bail.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
"No American should become a victim of a crime in their own community," said Hamadeh, who is running for a second term in office.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
“They want something on Dad. Trust me. I watch all those crime shows.”
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
The South African's work had been "instrumental in ensuring that war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide are prosecuted", said the chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee Jørgen Watne Frydnes.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
Other suspects emerged while officers were investigating other crimes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Based in the Dutch city of The Hague, the ICC tries individuals suspected of the world's worst offences -- war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Over half of those companies had supply chain ties to fishmeal producers involved in crimes, misconduct and unsustainable fishing practices.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
I saw my suspect for both crimes, Rosa, peeking out from her door, though she slammed it shut again when she saw me looking.
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
