crim·i·nal
ˈkri-mə-nᵊl 
ˈkrim-nəl
1
: relating to, involving, or being a crime
criminal neglect
a criminal organization
2
: relating to crime or to the prosecution of suspects in a crime
criminal statistics
brought criminal action
the criminal justice system
3
: guilty of crime
also
: of or befitting a criminal
a criminal mind
4
: disgraceful
It's criminal how unfunny this comedy is.—
Rick Bentley
Rick Bentley
criminally
adverb
1
: one who has committed a crime
2
: a person who has been convicted of a crime
Examples of criminal in a Sentence
Adjective
a history of criminal behavior
The captain of the wrecked boat was accused of criminal negligence.
The company brought criminal charges against her.
It's criminal that the government is doing nothing to stop the problem.
Noun
car thieves, pickpockets, burglars, and other criminals
Recent Examples on the Web
Michael Loria, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
The Jones Road wildfire, now partially contained, has also led to criminal charges against a local teenager accused of starting the blaze.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Trump has expressed support for Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele's maximum security prison, calling it an effective solution for U.S. criminals.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for criminal
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
Karen Read’s attorneys are taking an approach of highlighting inconsistencies in the testimony of witnesses involved in the case, according to Sydney Rushing, a criminal defense attorney based in Michigan offering analysis on TikTok.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025
The Jones Road wildfire, now partially contained, has also led to criminal charges against a local teenager accused of starting the blaze.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Noun
Reckless sanctuary city policies create a sanctuary for one class — criminals.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2025
Trump has expressed support for Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele's maximum security prison, calling it an effective solution for U.S. criminals.
—Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for criminal
Cite this Entry
“Criminal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/criminal. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
criminal
1 of 2 adjective
crim·i·nal
ˈkrim-ən-ᵊl
ˈkrim-nəl
1
: being or guilty of a crime
a criminal act
2
: relating to crime or its punishment
criminal court
criminality
noun
ˌkrim-ə-ˈnal-ət-ē
criminally
adverb
ˈkrim-ən-ᵊl-ē
-nə-lē
criminal
2 of 2 noun
: a person who has committed a crime
Legal Definition
criminal
1 of 2 adjective
crim·i·nal
ˈkri-mə-nəl
1
: relating to, involving, or being a crime
criminal neglect
criminal conduct
2
: relating to crime or its prosecution
brought a criminal action
criminal code
compare civil sense 4, penal
criminal
2 of 2 noun1
: one who has committed a crime
2
: a person who has been convicted of a crime
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