criminalizing

verb

present participle of criminalize
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

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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 criminalizing In February of this year, Luo’s lawyers asked the court to dismiss the case, arguing that prosecutors were criminalizing settlement talks. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026 For example, Scalia famously cast the deciding vote in 1989 to hold unconstitutional a law criminalizing burning the American flag despite being a big patriot and despising such activities. — Brian Fitzpatrick, The Conversation, 28 Sep. 2026 This entails criminalizing everyday life and everyday forms of community. — Literary Hub, 24 Aug. 2026 Global human rights groups have criticized the jailing of the journalists and the denial of bail, asking the government to drop the charges against them and stop criminalizing news reporting. — ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026 Street vendors rallied outside Oakland City Hall Thursday, accusing the city of criminalizing people who are trying to earn a living as officials step up enforcement against unpermitted vending. — Da Lin, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026 This contrasts sharply with a federal judge's decision days earlier, blocking Minnesota from criminalizing prediction markets, a win for Kalshi and the CFTC who argue federal preemption. — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for criminalizing
  1. outlawing
  2. banning
Verb
  • The Supreme Court agreed Monday to consider outlawing school diversity policies that limit Asian American students at magnet programs and selective high schools.
    — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • After the Supreme Court ruling outlawing affirmative action, civil rights groups filed a federal complaint challenging Harvard’s legacy and donor preferences.
    — Jayson Weingarten, Fortune, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of outlawing
Verb
  • The park sits on the site of the former Les Bois Park, a racetrack that fielded horse races for decades until a 2015 law banning certain gambling machines ended live contests.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Airbnb is changing its rules and banning hosts from asking guests to take out the trash, wash used dishes, or strip any bedding.
    — James Peckham, PC Magazine, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of banning

Browse Nearby Words

criminalizes
criminalizing
criminal lawyer
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Cite this Entry

“Criminalizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/criminalizing. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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