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

Jewish New Yorkers make up nearly 12% of our population but account for more than 50% of hate crime targets. —Elliot Cosgrove, New York Daily News, 29 May 2026

Authorities are investigating it as a hate crime after finding evidence that the perpetrators had been radicalized online and wrote a manifesto full of Neo Nazi and racist beliefs. —Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 28 May 2026

Under Georgia law, an individual can not be convicted of a standalone hate crime. —Dan Raby, CBS News, 28 May 2026

The New York edition resulted in hate crime charges for two of the alleged participants. —Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 26 May 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