Criminalize

Quick meaning: Criminalize is a verb meaning (transitive) To make (something) a crime; to make illegal under criminal law; to ban.

Meaning

(transitive) To make (something) a crime; to make illegal under criminal law; to ban.

More Meanings

1. (transitive) To treat as a criminal.

Example Sentences

A group of homeless residents sued the city, challenging the ordinances and contending that the local laws essentially criminalized homelessness.

"Ag-gag laws criminalize undercover investigations by prohibiting one or more of three types of behavior: trespass, recording of videos, and failure to submit a video to law enforcement."

Advocates for homeless people, the American Psychiatric Association and several left-leaning states, including New York, Illinois and Minnesota, argue that criminalizing homelessness only worsens the problem.

The Nixon campaign in 1968[…] had two enemies: the antiwar left and black people. […] [B]y getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities.

Word Forms

• criminalizes
• criminalizing
• criminalized
• criminalise

Synonyms for criminalize

Depending on context, synonyms include outlaw, illegalize.

Antonyms for criminalize

Common opposites include legitimate, legitimize, legitimatize, decriminalize, legalize.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include illegalize, outlaw, punish, penalize, incriminate, repress.

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