felonious

adjective

fe·​lo·​ni·​ous fə-ˈlō-nē-əs How to pronounce felonious (audio)
1
archaic : very evil : villainous
2
: of, relating to, or having the nature of a felony
felonious assault
feloniously adverb
feloniousness noun

Examples of felonious in a Sentence

the commission found that while the senator's actions were ethically questionable, they were not felonious
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.
Angel Holland and Aaron Stalling are under arrest on three counts each of felonious assault and endangering children. Jennifer Edwards Baker, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Sep. 2025 Travis Jackson, 36, is charged with two counts of murder, two counts of felonious assault and discharging a firearm. Jennifer Rodriguez, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2025 Sribniak, the dog's handler, is charged with assault with a dangeous weapon/felonious assault. Christina Hall, Freep.com, 19 Sep. 2025 The girl, who also struck another student with the metal cup, was arrested and charged with felonious assault and disorderly conduct. Kelli Weir, Akron Beacon Journal, 12 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for felonious

Word History

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of felonious was in 1567

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Cite this Entry

“Felonious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/felonious. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

Legal Definition

felonious

adjective
fe·​lo·​ni·​ous fə-ˈlō-nē-əs How to pronounce felonious (audio)
: of, relating to, or constituting a felony
felonious sale of cocaine
feloniously adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on felonious

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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