hate crime

noun

: any of various crimes (such as assault or defacement of property) when motivated by hostility to the victim as a member of a group (such as one based on color, creed, gender, or sexual orientation)

Examples of hate crime in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
In Scott’s case, though, progressives who would usually be attuned to abuses in the Australian criminal-justice system are the same figures demanding accountability for unredressed hate crimes. Eren Orbey, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025 The incident is being investigated by the Justice Department as a hate crime. Miami Herald, 13 Oct. 2025 All hate crimes are reprehensible. Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 7 Oct. 2025 Nessel spoke about the work of her office’s Hate Crimes Unit, warning that Michigan reported about 620 hate crimes in 2024 — more than 50 incidents a month. Nour Rahal, Freep.com, 4 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hate crime

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hate crime was in 1960

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Cite this Entry

“Hate crime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hate%20crime. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

hate crime

noun
plural hate crimes
: any of various crimes (as assault) when motivated by hostility to the victim based on social characteristics (as color, creed, gender, sexual orientation, or national origin)

Legal Definition

hate crime

noun
: a crime that violates the victim's civil rights and that is motivated by hostility to the victim's race, religion, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender

More from Merriam-Webster on hate crime

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