criminalize
verb
crim·i·nal·ize
ˈkri-mə-nə-ˌlīz 
ˈkrim-nə-ˌlīz
criminalized; criminalizing
: to make illegal
also
: to turn into a criminal or treat as criminal
Examples of criminalize in a Sentence
a law that criminalized alcohol
wanted to criminalize an activity that the mountaineers had been engaging in for generations
Recent Examples on the Web
This is incredibly dangerous for people of color, who are often criminalized and seen as a threat.
—
Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
Governments that criminalize opposition rarely stop at the margins.
—Jason M. Blazakis, Mercury News, 18 Oct. 2025
It’s often used to criminalize us, dehumanize us.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025
For people of color and for vulnerable communities, it’s used to criminalize us.
—Addie Morfoot, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for criminalize
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Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
Governments that criminalize opposition rarely stop at the margins.
—Jason M. Blazakis, Mercury News, 18 Oct. 2025
It’s often used to criminalize us, dehumanize us.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025
For people of color and for vulnerable communities, it’s used to criminalize us.
—Addie Morfoot, Variety, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for criminalize
Cite this Entry
“Criminalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/criminalize. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
criminalize
transitive verb
crim·i·nal·ize
ˈkri-mə-nə-ˌlīz
criminalized; criminalizing
: to make criminal : outlaw
the statute criminalizing the use of contraceptives—R. H. Bork
compare illegalize
R. H. BorkLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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