criminalize
verb
crim·i·nal·ize
ˈkri-mə-nə-ˌlīz 
ˈkrim-nə-ˌlīz
criminalized; criminalizing
: to make illegal
also
: to turn into a criminal or treat as criminal
Examples of criminalize in a Sentence
a law that criminalized alcohol
wanted to criminalize an activity that the mountaineers had been engaging in for generations
Recent Examples on the Web
The legislation didn't criminalize marijuana but rather imposed punishable fines on people who didn't pay necessary taxes, according to the Rockefeller Institute of Government.
—
Greta Cross, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2025
All of us must reject this horrific attempt to criminalize, entrap, and spread more fear and chaos in our neighborhoods.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025
The law even criminalized the presence of Bosnian state institutions within Republika Srpska, with stiff penalties extending to local officials who cooperated with the central government’s officials.
—Ismet Fatih Cancar, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2025
Rabinowitz and other experts say both Republicans and Democrats are undermining Housing First by criminalizing homelessness and conducting encampment sweeps that hinder the ability of front-line workers to get people into housing and services, prolonging their homelessness.
—Angela Hart, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for criminalize
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Greta Cross, USA Today, 17 Apr. 2025
All of us must reject this horrific attempt to criminalize, entrap, and spread more fear and chaos in our neighborhoods.
—David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025
The law even criminalized the presence of Bosnian state institutions within Republika Srpska, with stiff penalties extending to local officials who cooperated with the central government’s officials.
—Ismet Fatih Cancar, Foreign Affairs, 9 Apr. 2025
Rabinowitz and other experts say both Republicans and Democrats are undermining Housing First by criminalizing homelessness and conducting encampment sweeps that hinder the ability of front-line workers to get people into housing and services, prolonging their homelessness.
—Angela Hart, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for criminalize
Cite this Entry
“Criminalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/criminalize. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
criminalize
transitive verb
crim·i·nal·ize
ˈkri-mə-nə-ˌlīz
criminalized; criminalizing
: to make criminal : outlaw
the statute criminalizing the use of contraceptives—R. H. Bork
compare illegalize
R. H. BorkLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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