What does "crime" mean?
A specific act committed in violation of the law, especially criminal law.
Crime
/kɹaɪm/ name, noun, verb
name, noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A specific act committed in violation of the law, especially criminal law.
- Grammar: crime is listed as name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: criminal offence, act lawlessly, adulteries, adultery.
- Useful contrasts: constabulary, crime prevention, criminal justice system.
- Usage evidence: Baffled by Sherlock Holmes' cryptic remarks, Watson wondered whether Holmes was intentionally concealing his thoughts about the crime.
How to use "crime"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "crime" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "crime" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "crime" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "crime" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "crime" is acting as name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "criminal offence" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "crime", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A specific act committed in violation of the law, especially criminal law. countable
"the commission of a crime"
- 2 (criminal law) an act punishable by law; usually considered an evil act wordnet
- 3 Any great sin or wickedness; iniquity. countable
"Those methods of saving money should be a crime."
- 4 an evil act not necessarily punishable by law wordnet
- 5 That which occasions crime. countable, obsolete
"the tree of life, the crime of our first father's fall"
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 Criminal acts collectively. uncountable
"an effort by the police to tackle crime in the city"
- 7 The habit or practice of committing crimes. uncountable
"Crime doesn’t pay."
Verb
- 1 To subject to disciplinary punishment. UK, transitive
"Nevertheless, in the course of a few days he is again intoxicated, creates disturbance in his quarters, is confined by his sergeant, crimed, and brought before the commanding officer […]"
- 2 To commit crime. nonce-word
"If, during the 1920s, the master criminal was a gamester, criming for self expression, during the 1930s he performed in other ways for other purposes."
Proper Noun
- 1 A particular security exploit against secret Web cookies over connections using the HTTPS and SPDY protocols that also use data compression. It relies on observing the change in size of the compressed ciphertext for various inputs.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Baffled by Sherlock Holmes' cryptic remarks, Watson wondered whether Holmes was intentionally concealing his thoughts about the crime."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "crime"?
Common synonyms include: criminal offence, act lawlessly, adulteries, adultery, assault, atrocity.
How do you use "crime" in a sentence?
Baffled by Sherlock Holmes' cryptic remarks, Watson wondered whether Holmes was intentionally concealing his thoughts about the crime.
How do you pronounce "crime"?
Pronounced /kɹaɪm/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English cryme, crime, from Old French crime, crimne, from Latin crīmen. Displaced native Old English firen.
Etymology 2
Short for compression ratio info-leak made easy, chosen to spell the word crime.