victimless
Americanadjective
Explanation
When something is victimless, no one is harmed by it. If you accidentally run a stop sign on an empty road and nobody gets hurt, it makes sense to consider it a victimless crime. The adjective victimless often refers to a punishable crime that didn't really hurt anyone; in other words, there's no victim. For example, it might be illegal to loiter in front of the library at night, but it's really a victimless offense. This word comes from the Latin root victima, "person or animal killed in sacrifice," and -less, "free from."
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.
“Tax evasion is not a victimless crime,” Atty.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 14, 2026
Since Liu, federal courts have split on victimless disgorgement.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 19, 2026
A review into the management of her complaint concluded "a more thorough investigation could have identified key witnesses, who could have provided strong evidence for a victimless prosecution against Cooper".
From BBC ● Mar. 22, 2026
The New South Wales government's environment department said that "the illegal wildlife trade is not a victimless crime", harming conservation and stripping the state "and Australia of its unique biodiversity".
From Barron's ● Feb. 17, 2026
No more head-scratching or dismissive shrugs; no more feeble excuses about "lack of computer-trained officers" or the low priority of "victimless" white-collar telecommunication crimes.
From The Hacker Crackdown, law and disorder on the electronic frontier by Sterling, Bruce
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.
