criminal law

noun

: the law of crimes and their punishments

Examples of criminal law in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The law, invoked during the War of 1812 and World Wars I and II, requires a president to declare the United States is at war, giving him extraordinary powers to detain or remove foreigners who otherwise would have protections under immigration or criminal laws. —Regina Garcia Cano, Twin Cities, 17 Mar. 2025

The law requires a president to declare the U.S. is at war, giving him extraordinary powers to detain or remove foreigners who otherwise would have protections under immigration or criminal laws. —Marcos Alemán and Regina Garcia Cano, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2025

What's next: The legislation, which also would make revisions to other criminal laws, is still in its early stages, and its fate remains uncertain. —Lucille Sherman, Axios, 18 Mar. 2025

This legislation grants the president the authority to detain or expel foreign nationals if the country is officially at war, bypassing usual protections under immigration and criminal laws. —David Faris, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1672, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for criminal law

• avoirdupois
• aa
• aha
• bashaw
• bradshaw
• byelaw
• bylaw
• chainsaw
• cheraw
• coleslaw
• crenshaw
• dada

Legal Definition

criminal law

noun

: public law that deals with crimes and their prosecution compare civil law

Note: Substantive criminal law defines crimes, and procedural criminal law sets down criminal procedure. Substantive criminal law was originally common law for the most part. It was later codified and is now found in federal and state statutory law.