felony
Americannoun
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felonies
plural
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an offense, as murder or burglary, of graver character than those called misdemeanors, especially those commonly punished in the U.S. by imprisonment for more than a year.
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Early English Law. any crime punishable by death or mutilation and forfeiture of lands and goods.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of felony
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English felonie, from Anglo-French, Old French: “villainy”; equivalent to felon 1 + -y 3
Explanation
A felony is a serious crime, like murder, arson, or burglary. Fashion critics may think that wearing white shoes after Labor Day is a felony, but it isn’t really. A felony is sometimes called a "high crime" because it's so serious. A felony differs from a misdemeanor in the amount of punishment someone gets when convicted. In the United States, a felony is a crime that has a sentence of more than a year in prison. A year or less in jail means the crime is just a misdemeanor. If you're convicted of a felony, even after you serve your time you may be denied certain rights and privileges.
Vocabulary lists containing felony
Monster
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Vocabulary from The Articles of Confederation
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Speak
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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.
See Examples For:
Animal abandonment is a misdemeanor charge, while animal cruelty is a so-called wobbler offense that can be charged as a misdemeanor or felony.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
On Aug. 18, the day after prosecutors officially filed their case in court, Paul Robinson, who faces charges of felony tampering and concealing evidence, made a plea on Facebook.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
Orange County held what’s considered the first e-bike buyback—and started filing felony charges against parents.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
A fifth conviction, under AB 1546, would be charged as a felony and result in a sentence of up to three years in prison if convicted.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
“A felony, my! Does that mean jail, Tag?”
From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam
According to supporters, the need for charter changes was driven in part by fraud and corruption scandals at City Hall, including three council members charged with felonies between 2020 and 2023.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
County district attorney’s office in 2015 and has handled misdemeanors, felonies and domestic violence cases.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Prosecutors last year charged Owens with 14 felonies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
Makhijani, who was taken into custody June 10, has pleaded not guilty to two felonies in a case involving a $100-million loan made by Phoenix-based Western Alliance Bank.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
On the subways, by the end of the decade, there were 75 percent fewer felonies than there had been at the decade’s start.
From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell
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.
