felony

American  

[fel-uh-nee] / ˈfɛl ə ni /

noun

Law.

• felonies
  plural

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

---

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.

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• felonies
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

felony felonies

Maxwell had appealed against her five felony convictions, claiming her constitutional rights had been "violated in multiple respects".

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

Nathan Hochman announced he would reduce 16 felony eavesdropping counts against Officer Daniel Flores to misdemeanors, and that the case would likely resolve in court through a diversion agreement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

The Justice Department will file two felony charges against Melissa Farris, who is currently in custody.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

In a letter to Pirro and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Raskin said Hearn was subsequently arrested and charged with a felony destruction of government property.

From Slate ● Aug. 13, 2026

In Los Angeles, a grand jury indicted Daniel Ellsberg on three felony counts, including theft and unauthorized possession of classified documents, and violation of the Espionage Act.

From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin

The titular crime in “The Kidnapping of Arabella” isn’t exactly one of history’s great felonies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026

Such charges are often treated as misdemeanors rather than felonies, meaning lighter sentences if convicted.

From Barron's ● May 11, 2026

Brandlin said the arrest was excessive, saying he was cited with multiple charges, including felonies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2026

Menkem pointed out that under Cameroonian law, the minimum sentence for felonies such as murder and arson is 10 years.

From BBC ● Feb. 20, 2026

Restorative justice is sometimes used in Alameda County as an alternative to criminal court for juveniles accused of felonies, a process known as diversion because the accused is diverted away from criminal court.

From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater

Related Words

• arson
• assault
• burglary
• murder
• offense
• rape
• robbery
• violation
• wrongdoing