1
: an illegal act for which someone can be punished by the government
especially
: a gross violation of law
2
: a grave offense especially against morality
3
: criminal activity
efforts to fight crime
4
: something reprehensible, foolish, or disgraceful
It's a crime to waste good food.
Examples of crime in a Sentence
She paid dearly for her crimes.
evidence that helped them solve the crime
He was punished for a crime that he didn't commit.
the recent increase in violent crime
Being single is not a crime.
There's no greater crime than forgetting your anniversary.
Recent Examples on the Web
The abuse and neglect have long-lasting effects on an already vulnerable population and have even led to the conviction of some employees for violent crimes, the report says.
—
Bianca Moreno-Paz, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
Diminished tourism and perceptions of crime in downtown San Francisco have also contributed.
—The Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 22 Nov. 2024
There continues to be more fascination, and transformation, in the world of crime, and the consumption of crime.
—Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 22 Nov. 2024
The pic follows a detective (Pratt) who is accused of a violent crime and forced to prove his innocence.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 22 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for crime 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Bianca Moreno-Paz, Austin American-Statesman, 22 Nov. 2024
Diminished tourism and perceptions of crime in downtown San Francisco have also contributed.
—The Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 22 Nov. 2024
There continues to be more fascination, and transformation, in the world of crime, and the consumption of crime.
—Ryan Schwartz, TVLine, 22 Nov. 2024
The pic follows a detective (Pratt) who is accused of a violent crime and forced to prove his innocence.
—Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 22 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for crime
Dictionary Entries Near crime
Cite this Entry
“Crime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crime. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
crime
noun1
: the doing of an act forbidden by law or the failure to do an act required by law especially when serious
2
: criminal activity
the war on crime
3
: an act that is sinful, foolish, or disgraceful
it's a crime to waste good food
Legal Definition
crime
noun1
2
: an offense against public law usually excluding a petty violation see also felony, misdemeanor
Note: Crimes in the common-law tradition were originally defined primarily by judicial decision. For the most part, common-law crimes are now codified. There is a general principle “nullum crimen sine lege,” that there can be no crime without a law. A crime generally consists of both conduct, known as the actus reus, and a concurrent state of mind, known as the mens rea.
3
: criminal activity
Etymology
Middle French, from Latin crimen fault, accusation, crime
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