What does decriminalized mean?
Decriminalized is the past tense and past participle of decriminalize, a verb meaning to remove criminal penalties from an activity through legislative or policy change. When an act has been decriminalized, it is no longer treated as a crime, though it may remain regulated or even technically unlawful, with civil fines replacing arrest and prosecution. The term appears most often in legal, political, and journalistic writing about drug policy, sexuality, abortion, and other contested areas of law. It carries a reformist connotation, typically framing the change as a shift toward tolerance or public-health approaches. Crucially, decriminalized differs from legalized: Portugal decriminalized personal drug use in 2001 without making drugs legal, while jurisdictions that legalize cannabis permit its sale outright. The word derives from Latin crimen, meaning charge or offense, via English criminal, with the prefix de- indicating removal.
verbPast tense and past participle of decriminalize: to remove the criminal penalties from an act or behavior, so that it is no longer treated as a crime under the law.
- To remove criminal penalties from an act or behavior by law or official policy, so that it is no longer punishable as a crime (though it may remain regulated or subject to civil penalties).
"Several countries decriminalized the possession of small amounts of cannabis in the 1970s."
"Portugal famously decriminalized all drug use in 2001, treating addiction as a health issue rather than a crime."
"The state legislature decriminalized truancy last year, replacing arrests with counseling referrals."
When homosexuality was decriminalized in England and Wales in 1967, it had taken a century of campaigning — a reminder that what counts as a crime is a choice societies can unmake.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of decriminalized
Decriminalized combines the prefix de- (indicating reversal or removal) with criminalize, which itself derives from criminal, ultimately from the Latin crimen, meaning a charge, accusation, or offense. The verb criminalize emerged in English in the late 19th century, and decriminalize followed as its antonym, gaining wide currency during the liberalizing legal reforms of the mid-20th century. Cognate words sharing the Latin root crimen include discriminate, recriminate, and incriminate.
Related word forms
How decriminalized is actually used
Primarily used in formal, legal, political, and journalistic contexts. Note carefully: decriminalized does not necessarily mean legal — many decriminalized activities remain technically illegal but are no longer criminally prosecuted, often attracting civil fines instead. This distinction matters in policy debate.
Easily confused with decriminalized
Decriminalized removes criminal punishment but the act may remain illegal or regulated (often still subject to civil fines), whereas legalized makes it fully lawful.
This is simply the British spelling of the noun form 'decriminalization', not a different word.