true crime
noun
: a nonfiction genre of literature, film, podcasts, etc. that depicts and examines real crime cases
Fans of true crime will enjoy this collection of tales from the annals of American justice …—
Jennifer Moore
—usually used before another nounJennifer Moorea true crime podcast/documentary/novel
In each episode, legal and criminal justice experts give you the inside scoop on the most shocking true crime stories … to hit the news.—LeeAnn Huntoon
LeeAnn HuntoonAs true crime podcasts, TV shows, books and online content continue to prove popular, cases never truly fade from the spotlight.—Bethany Bruner
Bethany BrunerExamples of true crime in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
New pieces of the Holly Bobo murder case will come to light in a new true crime podcast that looks back at the 2011 abduction and killing of the Tennessee nursing student.
—Sean Neumann, People.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Interest in the case has swept the country since then, spurring an array of true crime podcasts, movies, television shows and a host of supporters for both Read and O’Keefe.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025
Examples include Africa United, a comedy about young Rwandan soccer players; The Trial of Jeff David, a true crime podcast detailing the lives of former slaves falsely accused of murder in the 1800s; and Black Enuf, a cartoon about LGBT hip-hop lovers.
—PC Magazine, 24 Apr. 2025
Together, with a group of other true crime conspiracists, Louise was able to catfish Joe and trick him into falling in love with her before exposing his crimes to the world.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 24 Apr. 2025
Read previously stood trial last year on second-degree murder and manslaughter charges, with the case gaining significant viral attention in true crime circles on TikTok.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2025
The as-yet untitled true crime drama series comes from showrunner Michael D. Fuller, who co-created the project with Erin Lee Carr.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2025
The 30 best documentaries on Netflix (April 2025) The 32 best true crime documentaries on Netflix (April 2025)
Her fame grew after she was cast on the Lifetime reality series Dance Twins, as well as the kids' series Mani on Brat TV, an online network of scripted shows that stream on YouTube.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 11 Apr. 2025
The streamers are showing no sign of decreasing interest in true crime.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Sean Neumann, People.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Interest in the case has swept the country since then, spurring an array of true crime podcasts, movies, television shows and a host of supporters for both Read and O’Keefe.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025
Examples include Africa United, a comedy about young Rwandan soccer players; The Trial of Jeff David, a true crime podcast detailing the lives of former slaves falsely accused of murder in the 1800s; and Black Enuf, a cartoon about LGBT hip-hop lovers.
—PC Magazine, 24 Apr. 2025
Together, with a group of other true crime conspiracists, Louise was able to catfish Joe and trick him into falling in love with her before exposing his crimes to the world.
—Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 24 Apr. 2025
Read previously stood trial last year on second-degree murder and manslaughter charges, with the case gaining significant viral attention in true crime circles on TikTok.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2025
The as-yet untitled true crime drama series comes from showrunner Michael D. Fuller, who co-created the project with Erin Lee Carr.
—Denise Petski, Deadline, 22 Apr. 2025
The 30 best documentaries on Netflix (April 2025) The 32 best true crime documentaries on Netflix (April 2025)
Her fame grew after she was cast on the Lifetime reality series Dance Twins, as well as the kids' series Mani on Brat TV, an online network of scripted shows that stream on YouTube.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 11 Apr. 2025
The streamers are showing no sign of decreasing interest in true crime.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“True crime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/true%20crime. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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