Synonyms of crime

crime

noun

ˈkrīm 

1

as in criminality

activities that are in violation of the laws of the state

a promise by the president to step up the war against crime

Synonyms & Similar Words

• criminality
• corruption
• lawlessness
• lawbreaking
• misconduct
• racketeering
• offence
• evil
• malfeasance
• outlawry
• wrongdoing
• sin
• gangsterism
• immorality
• hooliganism
• wickedness
• misdeed
• trespass
• transgression
• offense
• depravity
• malefaction
• misdoing

2

as in shame

a regrettable or blameworthy act

it's a crime to waste food, so give the rest of the pizza to me

Synonyms & Similar Words

• shame
• pity
• sin
• disgrace
• scandal
• outrage

3

as in offence

a breaking of a moral or legal code

anyone who commits a crime should expect to be punished for it

Synonyms & Similar Words

• offence
• violation
• sin
• felony
• wrongdoing
• trespass
• debt
• misdeed
• offense
• error
• transgression
• sinfulness
• lawbreaking
• breach
• malefaction
• misdoing
• misconduct
• misdemeanor
• infringement
• criminality
• corruption
• hate crime
• abuse
• misfeasance
• immorality
• bias crime
• wickedness
• illegality
• foible
• fault
• vice
• unlawfulness
• lawlessness
• depravity
• iniquity
• debauchery
• peccadillo
• licentiousness
• break
• downfall
• iniquitousness
• fall
• descent

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• innocence
• morality
• noncrime
• blamelessness
• virtue
• righteousness
• goodness
• impeccability
• guiltlessness
• faultlessness
• irreproachability
• virtuousness

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun crime contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of crime are offense, scandal, sin, and vice. While all these words mean "a transgression of law," crime implies a serious offense punishable by the law of the state.

the crime of murder

When would offense be a good substitute for crime?

The words offense and crime are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, offense applies to the infraction of any law, rule, or code.

at that school no offense went unpunished

When can scandal be used instead of crime?

The meanings of scandal and crime largely overlap; however, scandal applies to an offense that outrages the public conscience.

a career ruined by a sex scandal

When is sin a more appropriate choice than crime?

The synonyms sin and crime are sometimes interchangeable, but sin implies an offense against moral or religious law.

the sin of blasphemy

When could vice be used to replace crime?

In some situations, the words vice and crime are roughly equivalent. However, vice applies to a habit or practice that degrades or corrupts.

regarded gambling as a vice

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of crime

South Africa is a country of violent crime, but white South Africans face far less of it statistically than Black South Africans do. —Elizabeth Shackelford, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025

The deployment aims to combat crime in the city, even as crime rates have reached a 30-year low, marking one of the most aggressive federal interventions in local law enforcement in recent history. —Peter Aitken, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025

In some cases, local prosecutors have clashed with federal immigration officials over attempts to deport crime defendants or witnesses before their cases conclude. —John Diedrich, jsonline.com, 22 Aug. 2025

Upcoming, he’ll be seen in Blumhouse/Universal’s Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, as well as A24’s crime drama Primetime from director Lance Oppenheim. —Matt Grobar, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2025