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criminal
[ krim-uh-nl ]
adjective
- of the nature of or involving crime.
Antonyms: lawful
- guilty of crime.
Antonyms: innocent
- Law. of or relating to crime or its punishment:
a criminal proceeding.
- senseless; foolish:
It's criminal to waste so much good food.
- exorbitant; grossly overpriced:
They charge absolutely criminal prices.
noun
- a person guilty or convicted of a crime.
Synonyms: gangster, hoodlum, crook, felon, culprit, transgressor, evildoer, malefactor
criminal
/ ˈkrɪmɪnəl /
noun
- a person charged with and convicted of crime
- a person who commits crimes for a living
adjective
- of, involving, or guilty of crime
- prenominal of or relating to crime or its punishment
criminal lawyer
criminal court
- informal.senseless or deplorable
a criminal waste of money
Derived Forms
- ˈcriminally, adverb
Other Words From
- crim·i·nal·ly adverb
- non·crim·i·nal adjective noun
- non·crim·i·nal·ly adverb
- qua·si-crim·i·nal adjective
- qua·si-crim·i·nal·ly adverb
- sub·crim·i·nal adjective
- sub·crim·i·nal·ly adverb
- su·per·crim·i·nal adjective noun
- su·per·crim·i·nal·ly adverb
- un·crim·i·nal adjective
- un·crim·i·nal·ly adverb
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of criminal1
Synonym Study
Example Sentences
Hwang's deputy at Archegos and co-defendant, Patrick Halligan, who was also found guilty on three criminal charges at the same trial, is set to be sentenced at a hearing scheduled for 27 January.
In a letter, the Texas General Land Office said the plot could be used to build facilities for "processing, detention, and co-ordination of the largest deportation of violent criminals in the nation's history".
The criminal charges, filed on Wednesday in New York, are the latest blow to 62-year-old Mr Adani, one of India's richest men, whose business empire extends from ports and airports to renewable energy.
Trump's unusual transition is rooted deep in his distrust of the current government, which he blames for leveling criminal charges against him, sources close to Trump’s transition team told The Post.
They said it was the fault of the White House that Ibarra, who entered the US unlawfully in 2022, was able to remain in the country despite his criminal record.
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More About Criminal
What is a basic definition of criminal?
A criminal is a person who commits crime. Criminal is also used to describe something involved in committing crime or related to crime. Criminal has a few other senses as an adjective.
A criminal is a person who breaks the law and engages in illegal activity.
- Real-life examples: Shoplifters, kidnappers, bank robbers, and pirates are all criminals.
- Used in a sentence: The judged sentenced the two wanted criminals to prison for stealing a car.
As an adjective, criminal describes something involved in or related to committing a crime.
- Real-life examples: Stealing a car, robbing someone’s house, and printing fake money to use as real money are all criminal acts. They are all against the law, and a person will be arrested if caught doing any of these acts. Police might say a person is accused of criminal activity if they believe the person was doing something illegal.
- Used in a sentence: The gangster Al Capone was in charge of a criminal organization.
Criminal can also be used to describe something that is related to crime without actually engaging in it.
- Real-life examples: In the United States, criminal law is a collection of laws that state what the government or society says is a crime and will result in punishment by the state if someone is proved to have broken the law. A criminal lawyer is a lawyer who specializes in criminal law.
- Used in a sentence: When Jimmy was arrested for breaking into his neighbor’s house, he called a criminal lawyer to help him.
Where does criminal come from?
The first records of criminal come from around 1350. It ultimately comes from the Late Latin crīminālis, which comes from the Latin crīmen, meaning “crime” or “charge.”
Did you know … ?
What are some other forms related to criminal?
- criminally (adverb)
- noncriminal (adjective)
- noncriminally (adjective)
- quasicriminal (adjective)
What are some synonyms for criminal?
What are some words that share a root or word element with criminal?
What are some words that often get used in discussing criminal?
How is criminal used in real life?
Criminal is a common word that refers to people who commit crime or things that are related to crime.
If anyone asks you for money to publish your book, it is a scam and they are criminals.
— Cassandra Clare (@cassieclare) December 16, 2014
People really try to perform the criminal acts they see in movies and expect to get away with it.
— Travis Kelce (@tkelce) February 12, 2014
Everyone on Twitter just became an expert on Florida criminal law.
— Darren Heitner (@DarrenHeitner) July 14, 2013
Try using criminal!
Is criminal used correctly in the following sentence?
The police were searching for a criminal who stole from a grocery store.
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