decriminalize

verb

Definition of decriminalizenext
as in to legalize

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 decriminalize In 2019, Denver, Colorado, became the first American city to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms. — Hollis Karoly, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2026 The Senate Judiciary Committee will vote on Senate Bill 97, which would decriminalize prostitution across the state. — Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 9 Mar. 2026 The Democratic Socialists of America’s national platform, which Mamdani ran on and believes in, includes calls to decriminalize hard drugs, defund or abolish policing, and dismantle charter schools, despite high demand in communities of color. — Darius Jones, New York Daily News, 15 Feb. 2026 Decriminalizing plant medicines like ayahuasca is part of a broader movement to decriminalize psychedelics in the United States, with states like Oregon and Colorado leading the way and dozens of cities—from Denver and Oakland to Detroit and Seattle—deprioritizing enforcement in recent years. — Michaela Trimble, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for decriminalize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decriminalize
legalize
Verb
  • German courts are clarifying a gray area left by the cannabis reform that entered into effect in 2024, which legalized personal use, cultivation, and associations, but left questions over the legal status of cannabis cuttings.
    — Dario Sabaghi, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • Polls show public opposition to legalized sports betting is mounting amid match-fixing scandals, social media harassment and aggressive marketing.
    — Dan Bernstein, Sportico.com, 30 June 2026
Definition of legalize

Browse Nearby Words

decries
decriminalize
decriminalized
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on decriminalize

Nglish: Translation of decriminalize for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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 (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

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
See More

Popular

See More

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

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All