criminalise

Other spellings

• (US) criminalize

Word parts

criminal + -ise

Verb

Plain form criminalise

Third-person singular criminalises

Past tense criminalised

Past participle criminalised

Present participle criminalising

1. (transitive) (law) If something is criminalised, it is made a crime.
   • Antonym: decriminalise

   Advocates pushed for gun possession to be criminalised.

Related words

• criminal
• criminalisation