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 race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability)

Examples of hate crime in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Antisemitic incidents comprised 62% of all hate crimes in the city during the first quarter of 2025, according to a report released last month by former New York City Mayor Eric Adams. —Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 28 Jan. 2026

Rather than fostering empathy, this attack accelerated Jewish hate crimes globally to an unprecedented degree. —Jill Ebstein, Boston Herald, 27 Jan. 2026

As the city reported, anti-Jewish hate crimes increased by 58% over 2023. —Chicago Tribune, 23 Jan. 2026

Activist groups that are both pro- and anti-Beauty have emerged, with hate crimes, homicides, and bombings on the rise as divisions deepen. —Barry Levitt, Time, 22 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hate crime

• aforetime
• allozyme
• anytime
• christmastime
• cybercrime
• dinnertime
• guggenheim
• isozyme
• lysozyme
• maritime
• mesenchyme
• overtime

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