decriminalize
verb (used with object)
to eliminate criminal penalties for or remove legal restrictions against.
decriminalized
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past participleof decriminalize.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof decriminalize.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
decriminalizeverb (used with object)to eliminate criminal penalties for or remove legal restrictions against.
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.
It was only a few weeks before his death in August 1967 that homosexuality was partially decriminalized in England.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
Elsewhere in Latin America, courts in Colombia and Ecuador have decriminalized euthanasia without passing laws to legalize the practice, while Cuba allows for terminal patients to refuse being kept alive artificially.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2025
Indian cinema has seen a wave of queer-themed commercial movies since gay sex was decriminalized in a Supreme Court decision in 2018.
From New York Times ● Mar. 8, 2024
None of France’s major political parties represented in parliament is questioning the right to abortion, which was decriminalized in 1975.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 28, 2024
While bricks-and-mortar business owners lamented an uneven playing field, street vendors and their advocates hailed the rules as some of the best they’ve seen since the state decriminalized street vending.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 30, 2024
