war crime

noun

: a crime (such as genocide or maltreatment of prisoners) committed during or in connection with war

—usually used in plural

war criminal noun

Examples of war crime in a Sentence

He was found guilty of torture and other war crimes.

Recent Examples on the Web

Under his administration, Congress passed legislation to sanction officials of the International Criminal Court after the court indicted Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel for war crimes. —Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025

What To Know Cheney's critics responded to his death on social media with criticism that he wasn't tried for war crimes. —Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025

The graves included civilians killed in what became known as the Hula massacre, with two Israeli army officers tried in Israel for war crimes. —Jane Arraf, NPR, 3 Nov. 2025

The United Nations and the United States have both said the RSF and the SAF have committed war crimes and have faced western sanctions. —Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for war crime

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

Legal Definition

war crime

noun

: an act committed usually during an international war for which individual criminal liability will be imposed by a domestic or international tribunal

specifically : a violation of the laws or customs of war as embodied or recognized by international treaty, court decisions, or established practice

—usually used in pl.

Note: Following World War II, the Charter of the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg first codified war crimes including crimes against humanity. Also encompassed in the legal concept of war crimes is the crime of planning or waging a war of aggression or a war in violation of international treaties.