misdemeanor

noun

Definition of misdemeanornext
as in crime
law a criminal act that is less serious than a felony He was charged with committing a misdemeanor. a misdemeanor traffic violation

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of misdemeanor The suspect also had an outstanding felony warrant from Shasta County and misdemeanor warrants from Napa and Trinity counties, according to Yolo County jail records. — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 15 Oct. 2026 All three were charged with misdemeanor assault, the records show. — Kristian Hernández, San Antonio Express-News, 15 Oct. 2026 She was charged with misdemeanor battery; her husband wasn’t charged. — Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, 14 Oct. 2026 Have you ever been charged or convicted of a felony or misdemeanor, including an adjudication of guilt withheld? — Susan Starkey, Sun Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for misdemeanor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misdemeanor
  1. crime
  2. violation
  3. trespass
  4. misconduct
Noun
  • Xuan’s attorney, Mitchell Krems, previously noted his client had never been convicted of a crime.
    — James Queally, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The frontrunner is Marine Le Pen, who has worked for years to make her far-right party, the National Rally, more electable while campaigning on immigration, crime, and denunciation of an out-of-touch political class.
    — Nicholas Bequelin, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of crime
Noun
  • And unlike state authorities who can be sued for civil rights violations in state courts, federal law enforcement authorities are generally shielded from such lawsuits based on legal precedents.
    — Philip Wang, Time, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Chicago should provide workable loading zones, preserve first-offense warnings, and publicly report whether violations and crashes actually decline.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of violation
Noun
  • Last month, two girls and a father decided to protest — which ultimately led to the dad being served a criminal trespass notice.
    — Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Two people were issued criminal trespass warnings, the sheriff's office said.
    — Sophia Vlahakis, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of trespass
Noun
  • The Justice Department has charged about 90 people for various types of election misconduct so far this year, including 50 who are said to have voted as noncitizens.
    — SAFIYAH RIDDLE, Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026
  • SafeSport, a nonprofit established to prevent the abuse of athletes and address misconduct allegations, was dismissed as a defendant in two lawsuits filed by gymnasts that allege the organization did not properly investigate Gardner.
    — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of misconduct

Browse Nearby Words

misdemeanants
misdemeanor
misdemeanors
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Cite this Entry

“Misdemeanor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misdemeanor. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on misdemeanor

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about misdemeanor

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