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Synonyms

felony

American  
[fel-uh-nee] / ˈfɛl ə ni /

noun

Law.

plural

felonies

  1. 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.

  2. Early English Law. any crime punishable by death or mutilation and forfeiture of lands and goods.

felony British  
/ ˈfɛlənɪ /

noun

  1. (formerly) a serious crime, such as murder or arson. All distinctions between felony and misdemeanour were abolished in England and Wales in 1967

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
felony Cultural  

  1. A grave crime, such as murder, rape, or burglary, that is punishable by death (see capital offense) or imprisonment in a state or federal facility.

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.

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Vocabulary lists containing felony

Monster

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Vocabulary from The Articles of Confederation

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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.

He was detained by immigration authorities upon his release in November 2024, and his green card was revoked after an immigration judge ordered his deportation due to his felony conviction.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

Judge Stephen Wilson agreed to strip the indictment of the felony allegations but ruled that “straight probation does not match the facts of this case.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

Grammy winner Lil Nas X is another step closer to potentially resolving his felony police battery case.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

His felony charges mean that he is facing up to five years in prison if found guilty, and if he fails to complete the judge-ordered treatment.

From BBC • Apr. 6, 2026

But then the day before they will call and tell me don’t come in—because you have a felony.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

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.