crime against humanity

American  

noun

1. a crime or series of crimes, such as genocide, directed against a large group because of religion, ethnicity, country of origin, or other reason unconnected with any individual's responsibility for having committed a criminal act.

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Etymology

Origin of crime against humanity

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

crime against humanity

On Monday, the leader of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Metropolitan Epifaniy, called for prayers for the salvation of the cathedral, calling the damage “another Russian crime against humanity, against history, against Christianity.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026

The United Nations General Assembly this week overwhelmingly backed a resolution declaring the transatlantic slave trade "the gravest crime against humanity".

From BBC ● Mar. 27, 2026

"The transatlantic slave trade was a crime against humanity that struck at the core of personhood, broke up families, and devastated communities," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.

From Barron's ● Mar. 25, 2026

In 1993, the International Criminal Court reaffirmed apartheid as a crime against humanity and established the possibility of individuals being held responsible.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 9, 2024

It’s called a crime against humanity because all humans co-own the responsibility never to forget it.

From "Linked" by Gordon Korman