misdemeanor
Americannoun
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Law. a criminal offense defined as less serious than a felony.
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an instance of misbehavior; misdeed.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of misdemeanor
Explanation
A misdemeanor is a minor offense, rather than a serious crime. A minor infraction like keeping a library book for years or stealing a pack of bubblegum would be considered a misdemeanor. A crime like murder is serious, a felony that can land the person who commits it in jail for a long time. A misdemeanor, on the other hand, is a far less serious offense. Commit a misdemeanor such as petty theft, and you might not get more than a slap on the wrist.
Vocabulary lists containing misdemeanor
The Constitution of the United States
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Vocabulary from The Articles of Confederation
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Dear Martin
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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.
Prosecutors had been considering a misdemeanor charge against Abbott for violating the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and a separate count for misleading the government, some of the people said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 29, 2026
Schneider faces misdemeanor charges in Utah, while Bricks & Minifigs sued him and others for alleged conspiracy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 26, 2026
A second violation carries a $1,000 fine and a third slaps them with a class B misdemeanor.
From Salon • Jun. 14, 2026
But in January 1977, after four days of testimony and 3½ hours of deliberations, Longet was acquitted of the felony charge and convicted of a misdemeanor charge of negligent homicide.
From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026
And so, Gordon, the intern, settled on negligent homicide, the toughest misdemeanor penalty, arguing that the two charges for reckless behavior are not “harsh enough to do justice to the outcome of the accident.”
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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.
