white-collar crime

phrase

: crime that typically involves stealing money from a company and that is done by people who have important positions in the company : crime committed by white-collar workers
Embezzlement is a white-collar crime.

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Cite this Entry

“White-collar crime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/white-collar%20crime. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Legal Definition

white-collar crime

noun
white-col·​lar crime
ˈhwīt-ˈkä-lər-
: crime that is committed by salaried professional workers or persons in business and that usually involves a form of financial theft or fraud (as in securities dealing)
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