victimless

American  

[vik-tim-lis] / ˈvɪk tɪm lɪs /

adjective

1. (of a crime or misdeed) not having any victim; not causing direct harm to any specific person.

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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

See Examples For:

victimless

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

“It’s also important to remember that cargo theft is not a victimless crime,” McDonnell said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2025

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 Bruce Sterling

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