as in outlawing
to make or declare contrary to the law
wanted to criminalize an activity that the mountaineers had been engaging in for generations
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of criminalizing
Michael Olson, policy counsel for Oklahomans for Criminal Justice Reform, said criminalizing the distribution of sterile syringes is a mistake.
—
Maya Henry,
Oklahoma Watch,
30 June 2026
According to Human Rights Watch, at least 67 countries have national laws criminalizing same-sex relations between consenting adults, and at least nine have criminalize forms of gender expression.
—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
20 June 2026
Civil liberties advocates say the settlement underscores First Amendment protections for controversial online speech and warns law enforcement nationwide to tread carefully when criminalizing social media posts.
—
R.j. Rico,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2026
Under President John Adams, the Federalists sought to eradicate French ideological influence by raising the bar to citizenship, lowering the bar to deportation, and criminalizing malicious criticism of the federal government.
—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
On the other, activists and civil liberties groups warn that aggressive prosecutions risk criminalizing dissent and chilling protest.
—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
Maintain local control, protect public spaces and stop criminalizing people for sleeping outside when no safe alternative exists.
—
Chicago Tribune,
19 Apr. 2026
Chenoweth says authoritarians are getting better at controlling information flow, criminalizing protest, hardening security and police forces, and coordinating with other authoritarians.
—
Chris John Amorosino,
Hartford Courant,
16 Apr. 2026
In addition to criminalizing nonconsensual intimate deepfakes, the federal law requires platforms to take down imagery 48 hours after it is reported.
—
Bruna Horvath,
NBC news,
8 Apr. 2026
Maya Henry,
Oklahoma Watch,
30 June 2026
According to Human Rights Watch, at least 67 countries have national laws criminalizing same-sex relations between consenting adults, and at least nine have criminalize forms of gender expression.
—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
20 June 2026
Civil liberties advocates say the settlement underscores First Amendment protections for controversial online speech and warns law enforcement nationwide to tread carefully when criminalizing social media posts.
—
R.j. Rico,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2026
Under President John Adams, the Federalists sought to eradicate French ideological influence by raising the bar to citizenship, lowering the bar to deportation, and criminalizing malicious criticism of the federal government.
—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
On the other, activists and civil liberties groups warn that aggressive prosecutions risk criminalizing dissent and chilling protest.
—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
Maintain local control, protect public spaces and stop criminalizing people for sleeping outside when no safe alternative exists.
—
Chicago Tribune,
19 Apr. 2026
Chenoweth says authoritarians are getting better at controlling information flow, criminalizing protest, hardening security and police forces, and coordinating with other authoritarians.
—
Chris John Amorosino,
Hartford Courant,
16 Apr. 2026
In addition to criminalizing nonconsensual intimate deepfakes, the federal law requires platforms to take down imagery 48 hours after it is reported.
—
Bruna Horvath,
NBC news,
8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for criminalizing
Verb
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In a brief order, the high court agreed to take up a pair of cases challenging local and state laws outlawing AR-15s and similar semi-automatic rifles.
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Players will still be able to cover their mouths when conversing normally, but outlawing the act during disagreements is designed to remove plausible deniability for any player accused of making discriminatory remarks while their mouth is obscured.
Verb
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The Islamic regime certainly is aware of this, banning music in any and all forms.
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Transgender athletes The court heard arguments in January over the legality of laws in Idaho and West Virginia banning transgender athletes from female sports teams at public schools including universities.
Cite this Entry
“Criminalizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/criminalizing. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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