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 time, the justices must decide if the government can criminalize gun ownership for marijuana users.
—
Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 Mar. 2026
That's because the section in the FACE Act criminalizing interference at houses of worship fundamentally misstates the rights people have under the First Amendment.
—Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
Another bill would criminalize those who disturb church services — a response to the protest at a Christian church in Minnesota that led to arrests of activists and journalists, including former CNN anchor Don Lemon.
—Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 26 Feb. 2026
To be clear, the City Council’s safe access proposal does not ban protests, create new crimes, or criminalize peaceful expression.
—Joseph Potasnik, New York Daily News, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for criminalize
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Brittney Melton, NPR, 2 Mar. 2026
That's because the section in the FACE Act criminalizing interference at houses of worship fundamentally misstates the rights people have under the First Amendment.
—Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026
Another bill would criminalize those who disturb church services — a response to the protest at a Christian church in Minnesota that led to arrests of activists and journalists, including former CNN anchor Don Lemon.
—Taylor Seely, AZCentral.com, 26 Feb. 2026
To be clear, the City Council’s safe access proposal does not ban protests, create new crimes, or criminalize peaceful expression.
—Joseph Potasnik, New York Daily News, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for criminalize
Cite this Entry
“Criminalize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/criminalize. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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
