criminal record

American

[krim-uh-nuhl rek-erd] / ˈkrɪm ə nəl ˈrɛk ərd /

noun

plural

criminal records

an officially recorded history of arrests, charges, or convictions associated with a person.

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.

Strong families and strong schools shape habits and values more effectively than the threat of a criminal record ever will.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026

The vast majority of those detained for deportation, including those who have died, had no criminal record.

From Salon • Mar. 25, 2026

So all those 1,100 people sitting there at the time in that trailer prison, none of them had a criminal record.

From Slate • Mar. 20, 2026

Suranovas does already have a criminal record, something he brought up himself, but he consistently downplayed his own role.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

Someone like me who was unemployed or had a prior criminal record?

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023