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
• evil
• malfeasance
• outlawry
• hooliganism
• wrongdoing
• gangsterism
• sin
• immorality
• 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 violation

a breaking of a moral or legal code

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• violation
• sin
• felony
• wrongdoing
• trespass
• debt
• misdeed
• offense
• error
• transgression
• sinfulness
• lawbreaking
• breach
• malefaction
• misconduct
• misdoing
• misdemeanor
• infringement
• criminality
• corruption
• hate crime
• abuse
• misfeasance
• immorality
• bias crime
• wickedness
• illegality
• fault
• foible
• 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

Because disappearing is much harder in the age of mass surveillance, crime writers often turn to deception, said Stuart, a contributor to the Cyber Detectives exhibit at San Jose’s The Tech Interactive museum. — Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 7 Aug. 2026

That's why Williams is being executed five years after the crime. — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026

Thirty-five percent rate him positively on the economy, 32% on affordability, 35% on foreign policy, 32% on tariffs, and 40% crime and safety. — Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 7 Aug. 2026

The follow-up to the popular cult crime thriller, which starred Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens and James Franco, was announced in May 2025, 13 years after the original. — Rachel Raposas, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026