criminality

noun

crim·​i·​nal·​i·​ty ˌkri-mə-ˈna-lə-tē How to pronounce criminality (audio)
1
: the quality or state of being criminal
2
: criminal activity
urban criminality

Examples of criminality in a Sentence

a report on the drop in criminality in large urban centers
Recent Examples on the Web They are aided in this, up to a point, by an accountant named Carmen (a radiantly persnickety Paula Luchsinger), who undertakes a thorough examination of the Pinochet portfolio, laying bare a sickening history of financial criminality and mob-style corruption and violence. Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2023 Whether Georgia district attorney Fanni Willis can make her case or not, the mug shot implies an air of criminality. Jason Parham, WIRED, 28 Aug. 2023 Stupidity and ineptitude are no excuse for criminality. Readers, WSJ, 18 Aug. 2023 Smith’s latest set of charges will be another opportunity to remind voters of Trump’s criminality and authoritarianism. Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 25 July 2023 Tyler has no history whatsoever of criminality, but the Slickback vibes are strong with this young fella. M.t. Richards, Rolling Stone, 25 Aug. 2023 Police said there was no suspicion of foul play or criminality. Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 15 Aug. 2023 But in a country where Black people are often looked at with suspicion by authority, there have also been plenty of stereotypes about hip-hop and criminality. Deepti Hajela, Baltimore Sun, 11 Aug. 2023 There’s a lot of criminality being treated with levity here, some of it fairly innocent and some of it aggressively abusive. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'criminality.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

criminal entry 1 + -ity, perhaps after French criminalité

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of criminality was in 1611

Dictionary Entries Near criminality

Cite this Entry

“Criminality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/criminality. Accessed 23 Sep. 2023.

Legal Definition

criminality

noun
crim·​i·​nal·​i·​ty ˌkri-mə-ˈna-lə-tē How to pronounce criminality (audio)
1
: the quality or state of being criminal
can't understand the criminality of his act
2
: crime sense 3
violent criminality

More from Merriam-Webster on criminality

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!