as in prohibited
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as in outlawed
to make or declare contrary to the law
wanted to criminalize an activity that the mountaineers had been engaging in for generations
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Recent Examples of criminalized
Jim Saunders, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2025
This is incredibly dangerous for people of color, who are often criminalized and seen as a threat.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
Decency becomes criminalized, sexualized, and othered as a way to control bodily agency, identity, and expression.
—Helen Molesworth, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025
People seeking care may become targets of surveillance; entrenching existing patterns where disability, neurodivergence and poverty are not only criminalized— but now automated and scaled.
—Kate Caldwell, Mercury News, 30 Sep. 2025
Less than a year after UPSIDE Foods and Good Meat celebrated federal approval in 2023, the state legislatures of Florida and Alabama had criminalized the sale of their products, punishable by a misdemeanor.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 22 Sep. 2025
Yet, in the aftermath of the RAVE act, scores of clubs shut down, promoters were arrested, and parties would not dare talk about safer substance use or call an ambulance for a partygoer – it was criminalized.
—Andrew Pasquier, Them., 18 Sep. 2025
Grassley and other Republicans argue that by the time Smith formally inherited the case, the groundwork had already been laid for a wide-ranging operation that effectively criminalized political opposition.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2025
Trayvon fit the bill, criminalized because of his hoodie and brown skin.
—Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
Yet, the jury criminalized one set of transactions while sanctioning the other, without any meaningful legal standard to distinguish between them.
—Jim Saunders, Miami Herald, 29 Oct. 2025
This is incredibly dangerous for people of color, who are often criminalized and seen as a threat.
—Christopher Rudolph, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
Decency becomes criminalized, sexualized, and othered as a way to control bodily agency, identity, and expression.
—Helen Molesworth, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2025
People seeking care may become targets of surveillance; entrenching existing patterns where disability, neurodivergence and poverty are not only criminalized— but now automated and scaled.
—Kate Caldwell, Mercury News, 30 Sep. 2025
Less than a year after UPSIDE Foods and Good Meat celebrated federal approval in 2023, the state legislatures of Florida and Alabama had criminalized the sale of their products, punishable by a misdemeanor.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 22 Sep. 2025
Yet, in the aftermath of the RAVE act, scores of clubs shut down, promoters were arrested, and parties would not dare talk about safer substance use or call an ambulance for a partygoer – it was criminalized.
—Andrew Pasquier, Them., 18 Sep. 2025
Grassley and other Republicans argue that by the time Smith formally inherited the case, the groundwork had already been laid for a wide-ranging operation that effectively criminalized political opposition.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2025
Trayvon fit the bill, criminalized because of his hoodie and brown skin.
—Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for criminalized
Adjective
-
There is, however, room for questions about where the line between prohibited and acceptable political involvement will fall in practice.—
BrieAnna J. Frank,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
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The list of prohibited and restricted items, as found on the CBP website, includes alcohol, biological materials, firearms, food and produce such as fruits and vegetables, soil, wildlife, fish, and gold, among other items.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Soon after slavery was outlawed, Southern states began enacting vagrancy laws and other discriminatory policies and using them to criminalize and re-enslave Black people.—
Equal Justice Initiative,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
-
In 1921, the UK passed its own anti-plumage legislation which outlawed the importing of exotic birds for fashion.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
An ancient forbidden kingdom nestled by the Tibetan Plateau and some of the tallest peaks in the world, Mustang didn’t allow tourists until 1992 and formally joined the contemporary Federation of Nepal in 2008.—
Joe Baur,
Outside,
31 Oct. 2025
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In one study, University of Pennsylvania researchers manipulated LLMs into giving forbidden responses by applying persuasion techniques effective on humans.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Even these can be banned under the severest restrictions, but often they're allowed in backcountry camping areas when wood fires are banned.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
10 Nov. 2025
-
Vermont had banned slavery for adults in 1777 and was home to a small but thriving free Black population.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
10 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Yet the brunt of the measures taken by the FDC to curb contraband smuggling — like the recent mail restrictions — is borne by inmates and their families, reform advocates allege.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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This comes after airspace violations involving balloons carrying contraband cigarettes which had previously forced the closure of airspace earlier in the month.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Known for her raunchy, no-holds barred comedy, Glaser’s career skyrocketed after her standout performance on Netflix’s roast of Tom Brady.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
22 Oct. 2025
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In the constellation Cepheus lies the barred spiral galaxy NGC 6951.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
20 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Criminalized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/criminalized. Accessed 19 Nov. 2025.
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