CRIMINALIZE Synonyms: 19 Similar and Opposite Words

criminalize

verb

ˈkri-mə-nə-ˌlīz

Definition of criminalize

as in to outlaw

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 criminalize Along with Jim Crow laws that criminalized Blackness, the loophole allowed for the legal re-enslavement of Black Americans to financially benefit the state. — Julia Bowling, The Conversation, 29 May 2026 Chicago would have been the largest city in the Northern Hemisphere without a bus hub, and Greyhound could have moved its Midwest hub to Indiana where reproductive and gender-affirming healthcare are criminalized. — Lena Guerrero Reynolds, Chicago Tribune, 25 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 The word also figured heavily in the Alien and Sedition Acts, a set of four 18th century laws that restricted citizenship, expanded the president’s authority to detain and deport foreigners, and criminalized dissenting speech. — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for criminalize

Recent Examples of Synonyms for criminalize

Verb

Or even just 62 years to the Civil Rights Act, which outlawed segregation.

— Susan Bence, NPR, 4 July 2026
The ordinance that restricts yoga instruction at city parks does not outlaw teaching other subjects including tai chi and Shakespeare, the city has conceded in court proceedings.

— Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026

Definition of outlaw

Verb

A number of Russian regions have banned the use of large canisters that hold around five gallons to prevent fuel hoarding.

— Clare Sebastian, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
Twenty-seven states currently have laws banning trans girls and women from participating against cisgender women and girls.

— Lindsay Schnell, New York Times, 5 July 2026

Definition of ban

Browse Nearby Words

criminality

criminalize

criminalized

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Criminalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/criminalize. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of criminalize

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

perfunctory

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes