What does criminalize mean?
"Criminalize" is a transitive verb meaning to make an activity illegal — to convert conduct that was previously lawful into a punishable offence through legislation or legal ruling. It appears most often in debates over public policy, where lawmakers, activists, and commentators argue over whether certain behaviours should be criminalized, from drug possession to hate speech. The word can also be used more figuratively to criticise laws or attitudes that treat people as criminals, as when opponents claim a measure "criminalizes homelessness." Its opposite is "decriminalize," which removes criminal penalties from an activity without necessarily making it fully legal. Derived from the Latin "crimen" via "criminal," the term carries a formal, serious register suited to legal and political discourse. Because it frames its subject in terms of guilt and punishment, using it often signals a strong normative position about what society should condemn.
verbTo make an activity or behaviour illegal by law; to turn something that was previously lawful into a criminal offence.
- To make an act or activity a criminal offence by law.
- (Figurative/extended) To treat someone or something as if they were criminal or morally blameworthy.
"Parliament moved to criminalize the possession of the drug after a series of high-profile deaths."
"Several countries have moved to criminalize revenge porn in recent years."
"Critics argued that the new law effectively criminalizes poverty and homelessness."
The word 'criminal' comes from Latin crimen — originally meaning a charge or accusation, not guilt itself.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of criminalize
Criminalize derives from "criminal," which traces back to Latin "crimen," meaning a charge, accusation, or judgement — the root also giving us "crime," "criminology," and "recrimination." The suffix "-ize" reflects the influence of Greek-derived verbs of action adopted into English. The verb emerged in English in the nineteenth century as modern codified legal systems developed and lawmakers needed a term for formally declaring conduct criminal. Its antonym "decriminalize" arose later, in the twentieth century, as liberalizing legal reforms created the need for the contrasting term.
Related word forms
How criminalize is actually used
Formal register, typical of legal, political, and journalistic writing. Often used transitively with the activity being outlawed as the direct object. The figurative sense — describing conduct as unfairly treated as criminal — usually carries a critical connotation.
Easily confused with criminalize
To criminalize is to make something a crime, whereas to decriminalize is to remove criminal penalties for it while it may remain regulated or prohibited.