felony
Americannoun
-
felonies
plural
-
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.
-
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Vocabulary from The Articles of Confederation
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Speak
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
WASHINGTON—Attorney General Todd Blanche is launching a new process that allows individuals who lost their gun rights because of felony convictions to apply to have them reinstated.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
This agreement may be a federal felony as well.
From Slate ● Aug. 17, 2026
“On the other hand, I would hope that the district attorney would take context into account. And 16 felony charges seems really excessive.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026
Prosecutors initially alleged he intentionally damaged the newly renovated surface, a felony offense carrying a potential prison sentence.
From Salon ● Aug. 1, 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
Such charges are often treated as misdemeanors rather than felonies, meaning lighter sentences if convicted.
From Barron's ● May 11, 2026
After handling general felonies and misdemeanors in the adult criminal and juvenile courts, he was assigned in 2022 to the Mental Health Division.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 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
In New York, the statute of limitations for criminal fraud and embezzlement is generally five years for felonies and two years for misdemeanors.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 13, 2025
These aren’t felonies, but neither is snoring at the ballet.
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
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.
