criminalize
verb (used with object)
to make punishable as a crime.
criminalizing
-
present participleof criminalize.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
Lawmaker Reimont Luiz Otoni Santa Barbara has introduced the "Red Pill Bill," aimed at criminalizing content that he says promotes violence against women.
From Barron's ● Apr. 9, 2026
Corrections & Amplifications Article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice is the catchall provision criminalizing conduct that is harmful to good order and discipline or brings discredit on the armed forces.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 5, 2026
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, for example, rejected criminalizing homelessness as “backwards” in June 2024.
From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2025
But criminalizing parody opens up enough dangerous doors that even the most self-interested people who oppose it are onto something, and it sure does seem like this law could criminalize parody.
From Slate ● Apr. 25, 2025
The state refused to step in to aid the movie companies by criminalizing the new technology.
From The Public Domain Enclosing the Commons of the Mind by James Boyle
