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 noun

a 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

As true crime podcasts, TV shows, books and online content continue to prove popular, cases never truly fade from the spotlight.

—Bethany Bruner

Examples of true crime in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Nicolas Cage and Maria Bakalova are lined up for true crime story The Brand, while Gillian Anderson and Rebecca Hall clash in steamy psychological thriller The Portrait. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2026

Yes the Whole Foods beer drinking grandmas of Indiana are now suggesting all sorts of various true crime books for the book club. — Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2026

What makes true crime so compelling Researchers typically point to five overlapping drivers that keep audiences hitting play. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026

Growth in investigative true crime podcasts that invite audiences to examine evidence case by case 3. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 3 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1923, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for true crime

• airtime
• bedtime
• daytime
• downtime
• enzyme
• halftime
• lifetime
• longtime
• lunchtime
• mealtime
• meantime
• nighttime