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 color, creed, gender, or sexual orientation)

Examples of hate crime in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In addition to a misdemeanor count of violation of civil rights, which is a hate crime, the suspect, Jesus Hernandez Hernandez, 44, of Castro Valley, is also charged with felony criminal threats and misdemeanor brandishing a replica gun, the records say. —Harry Harris, The Mercury News, 25 Sep. 2024

There was at least one other possible hate crime in the city earlier this year. —Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press, 24 Sep. 2024

McEntee says that most controversial provisions of the bill are being removed and that legislation aimed at bringing forward tougher sentences for physical hate crimes under the bill will proceed. —Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 21 Sep. 2024

Henderson pleaded guilty to murder and kidnapping in 1999 to avoid the death penalty for Shepard’s killing, now known as one of the most infamous hate crimes in modern U.S. history. —Samantha Riedel, Them, 19 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1960, in the meaning defined above

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