cybercrime
Americannoun
noun
-
the illegal use of computers and the internet
-
crime committed by means of computers or the internet
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of cybercrime
Explanation
Cybercrime is illegal activity that involves a computer network. Computer hacking and using the Internet to steal credit card numbers are both kinds of cybercrime. When criminals use a computer that's connected to the Internet to commit a crime, it's considered cybercrime. If you have your identity stolen after entering information on a website you think is secure, you're a victim of cybercrime. Malware or computer viruses are another type of cybercrime. The word itself uses the prefix cyber-, which since the early 1990s has been used in many words to signify a connection to the Internet or electronics.
Vocabulary lists containing cybercrime
Computer Science and Technology - Introductory
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Computer Science and Technology - Middle School
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Computer Science and Technology - High School
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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.
As cybercrime continues to soar, young people and crypto investors are being hit harder, and more scammers are impersonating government officials.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
Beasley says that threats of violence linked to cybercrime will likely only continue to rise "because people keep paying" as a result of it.
From BBC • May 10, 2026
Xu is one of a half-dozen alleged kingpins running cybercrime networks, based in Cambodia, who have been sanctioned by the U.S. or are wanted by investigative agencies in other countries.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026
AI has opened the floodgates for cybercrime, which generates enough money globally to rank as the third-largest economy behind the U.S. and China.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026
Global cybercrime is forecast to increase 15% this year, potentially reaching $12.5 trillion in losses..
From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026
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.
