crime

noun

ˈkrīm How to pronounce crime (audio)
Definition of crimenext
1
as in criminality
activities that are in violation of the laws of the state a promise by the president to step up the war against crime

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in shame
a regrettable or blameworthy act it's a crime to waste food, so give the rest of the pizza to me

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in violation
a breaking of a moral or legal code anyone who commits a crime should expect to be punished for it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun crime contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of crime are offense, scandal, sin, and vice. While all these words mean "a transgression of law," crime implies a serious offense punishable by the law of the state.

the crime of murder

When would offense be a good substitute for crime?

The words offense and crime are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, offense applies to the infraction of any law, rule, or code.

at that school no offense went unpunished

When can scandal be used instead of crime?

The meanings of scandal and crime largely overlap; however, scandal applies to an offense that outrages the public conscience.

a career ruined by a sex scandal

When is sin a more appropriate choice than crime?

The synonyms sin and crime are sometimes interchangeable, but sin implies an offense against moral or religious law.

the sin of blasphemy

When could vice be used to replace crime?

In some situations, the words vice and crime are roughly equivalent. However, vice applies to a habit or practice that degrades or corrupts.

regarded gambling as a vice

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of crime The project marks the second outing for Interdonato as writer-director-star following the theatrical release of crime-drama The Bastard Sons by Vertical Entertainment in January 2024. —Zac Ntim, Deadline, 5 Feb. 2026 First and foremost, fighting violent crime. —Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 5 Feb. 2026 Her disappearance is being investigated as a crime. —Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 5 Feb. 2026 Still, crime in Oakland declined significantly during his tenure, following a nationwide trend of dropping crime rates following a spike during the COVID-19 pandemic. —Kyle Martin, Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for crime
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crime
  1. criminality
  2. shame
  3. violation
  4. pity
  5. sin
  6. felony
  7. wrongdoing
Noun
  • Brain imaging studies of criminality going back to 2009 have suggested that damage to a swath of white matter called the right uncinate fasciculus is somehow involved when people commit violent acts.
    — Christopher M. Filley, The Conversation, 3 Feb. 2026
  • The government, along with much of purple and red America, pound the message that ICE in Minnesota is all about state corruption and criminality.
    — Ed Bok Lee, Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026
Definition of criminality
Noun
  • Pair it with their signature warm nuts drenched in Tap Roots’ homemade spicy maple syrup, which is destined to put the hot honey craze to shame once word gets out.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Feb. 2026
  • With the Presidents Day Weekend sales ushering in an abundance of deals on some of Amazon’s best loungewear sets, now’s the time to stock up on easy two-piece outfits that’ll put your current favorites to shame.
    — Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of shame
Noun
  • The Kremlin said its aircraft reacted to a violation of a no-fly zone Russia has established in the area near Crimea.
    — DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS, Arkansas Online, 6 Feb. 2026
  • The issue, Council Member Jimmy Hallyburton said, is that the city doesn’t have any definitions of violations that the organizers may have committed.
    — Shannon Tyler, Idaho Statesman, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of violation
Noun
  • The ardor of contention, the pride of victory, the despair of success, the memory of past injuries and the fear of future dangers all contribute to inflame the mind and to silence the voice of pity.
    — David Brooks, Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2026
  • They’ve even been repped by the same agency, for pity’s sake.
    — Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 13 Jan. 2026
Definition of pity
Noun
  • But does exchanging flirty messages with Ghislaine Maxwell while he was married three years before Jeffrey Epstein was first publicly accused of wrongdoing in 2006 really constitute a career-ending sin?
    — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Easter is the Christian celebration of Jesus Christ's victory over sin and death through his resurrection.
    — Chris Sims, IndyStar, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of sin
Noun
  • Wimbley, who lists no prior felony history, remained in custody Tuesday on zero bond and is set to appear Wednesday in Garland County District Court.
    — Steven Mross, Arkansas Online, 11 Feb. 2026
  • And the definition of felony litter does include boats, cars and aircraft.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of felony
Noun
  • Trump, former President Bill Clinton and others are mentioned in the files without credible accusations of wrongdoing.
    — Bart Jansen, USA Today, 11 Feb. 2026
  • The files referenced by Khanna and reviewed by CBS News — which have now been partially un-redacted to reveal the six names — do not appear to directly implicate the six men in any crimes, and Khanna did not allege any specific criminal wrongdoing.
    — Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of wrongdoing

Browse Nearby Words

cries up
crime
crimes
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Crime.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crime. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on crime

Nglish: Translation of crime for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

'Buck naked' or 'butt naked'?

What does 'etcetera' mean?

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What’s the difference between ‘cemetery’ and ‘graveyard’?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Did Orange the Fruit or the Color Come First?

Why Is the Letter ‘Z’ Associated With Sleeping?

The Words of the Week - Feb. 13

Why do we call it 'ides of March'?
See More

Popular

See More

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek

Did Orange the Fruit or the Color Come First?
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
burrowing owl athene cunicularia tilts its head outside its burrow on marco island florida
Guess the Curious Origins of These Everyday Words Oh, that’s where that comes from…
See All